The Big Reveal
by ArollaPine
Summary: The story begins just after the "Riposte" episode (S2 of MLB). What would happen if Adrien had a rival to Marinette's heart? Would it help Adrien to realise what his feelings to Marinette really are?
1. The New Boy

" **The New Boy"**

He appeared suddenly at school. A new face. A handsome face.

All students, gathered at the school courtyard, looked at him with curiosity. He got used to that. Yeah, he usually attracted public interest no matter where he showed up. And today was as always.

He looked around carefully. Hold on. Someone ignored his appearance. Two girls. There. In the corner. "Challenge accepted" he thought and moved towards them.

"Oh, it's ridiculous!" Chloe exclaimed, catching the attention of most of students around her. "Oh, come on!" she added irritably.

Marinette was in the middle of the Adrien and Kagami's story, when – to her surprise – she heard _"Hi!"_ nearby. She jumped up, astonished.

"Hi…" she answered, having no idea who was that dark-haired brown-eyed boy.

"Hello." Alya added. "You interrupted our conversation. Don't you think it's rude?"

"Alya!" Marinette exclaimed, blushing in embarrassment.

"Yes, you're right." he answered. "Let me apologise. I'm new here and I thought it would be nice to meet someone…"

"Yeah… And you chose the only ones who were talking?" Alya had no mercy for him.

"Alya…" Marinette tried to calm down her friend. She didn't like such situations.

"I'm Victor Bonnet." The boy introduced himself.

"I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. And this is Alya Césaire." Marinette replied with introducing both.

"Nice to meet you."

"Speak for yourself…" Alya muttered. "Sorry, girl. There's Nino. See ya in class!"

And she left towards her boyfriend.

"Hi, Nino. Did you see that?" Alya kissed him and showed him Marinette talking to the new schoolmate.

"Who's that?" Nino asked.

"A new guy. Victor Bonnet."

"Who?" Nino repeated.

"Sounds like troubles. He aimed Marinette at a target."

"You sure?" Nino wasn't convinced.

"Don't you see that he's trying to pick her up?" Alya narrowed her eyes.

" _Do_ you?"

"Oh, you guys are hopeless. It's obvious. Look at him!"

"Don't you think it's a bit strange? That he came and started picking her up?" Nino didn't follow her suspicions.

"No. She's gorgeous and lovely. It seems that he noticed that. Maybe because we were talking not looking at him like the rest of people… I don't want to be cruel, but he has no chance…" she added.

"Well… You're not cruel, just honest. But why you want to clip his wings. And I think that a little jealousy would help some people…" Nino said, addressing Adrien.

"You think?" Alya was a bit sceptical. "I'm afraid he's resistant to all signs. It's so obvious that they are made to each other! But no. Both would pretend that's not the case."

"Yeah, he's stubborn like a mule… Maybe it's not such a bad idea that someone will open his eyes…"

"They've been talking for a while by now…" Alya stated.

"In my opinion, he's charming her…"

"She's charm-proof."

"Er, I'm not so sure… Look at her. Don't you see how she's looking at him?"

"Who's looking?" sounded just over their heads.

Both jumped up in surprise and looked at each other. There was Adrien behind them. He just looked at the direction they had been staring for the last few minutes. He frowned for a second, but he controlled himself immediately.

"Who's that?" he asked, surprised with aggression in his voice. Wait a moment, was he jealous? No, come on! After all, it's Marinette!

"It's Victor." Alya answered winking to Nino. She noticed this special tone at Adrien's voice.

"Victor? Who's that guy?" Adrien tried to sound calm.

"A new schoolmate." Alya explained.

"Oh…" Adrien had no idea what he should say. Fortunately, he was saved by the school bell ringing for the lessons. He went ahead, directing towards Marinette. Just to say "hello". Nothing more.

"Hi, Marinette." he said, smiling like every day.

"Hi, Adrien." She answered calmly. With casual smile.

That was something new. Usually she answered with five different versions of _"hello"_ , squeaking by the way. And today was just _"Hi, Adrien"_? What was going on? And why her smile looked so… so… cute? He sat at the desk a little shocked with everything that had just happened.

Alya and Nino came in just after him. They looked at each other like they had a secret. Alya had a mysterious face. She noticed Marinette's casual behaviour as well. That was the first time since meeting Adrien a year ago! Unbelievable! Was it possible that fifteen minutes of Victor's charming cured her from the crush on Adrien? No, impossible! Such things just don't happen!

It was impossible to concentrate on the lesson. Both for Adrien and Marinette.

Adrien tried to understand what had just happened. Why he wanted to knock Marinette out of the "New Boy's" head. He tried to convince himself that was because Marinette was his friend and he didn't want that anyone hurt her. He didn't trust the "New Boy". Yes. That was the reason. For sure.

Marinette was analysing herself as well. She was surprised with all those things that had happened this morning. She couldn't believe that the New Boy – handsome and charming – chose her for a company on his very first day at school. She hoped – for a very short moment – that Adrien might have been jealous. But it was a moment. She learned very quickly that he acted as usual. Just _"Hi, Marinette."_ in the morning and then nothing. Even a word for the rest of a day!

After school she was already heartbroken. Why she was so naïve and so hoping for a change… She had heard what he said to Kagami. Yeah. She was only a friend. She would always be only a friend… It was hopeless…

She hung her head.

"Hey, troubles?" she heard above her head.

She turned quickly. Victor. She felt a little – no, rather a huge – disappointment. She hoped that was Adrien.

"Nothing important…" she answered.

"You need a company." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Then he added: "I'll walk you home, ok?"

"Eh, well… I… I was to go with Alya…" she tried to shy away from his company.

"Alya? She's there with her boyfriend, I think. You see?" he answered satisfied that he thwarted her plans.

"Oh, right… Ok, then… It's just around a corner…" she gave up.

She knew that she should be grateful that the handsome colleague was adoring her from his first minutes at school. Or at least flattered. OK, she was flattered a bit. But at the same time, she felt that she would give all his attention to have a company of Adrien instead of Victor...

Adrien, who just ran out the school and saw Marinette leaving with the New Boy. Something inside him was… He felt like… He wanted to run to them and just slam Victor into his nice face. How did he get such murderous thoughts? Because he wanted to protect her?

His thoughts were interrupted by the car stopped with a quiet squeal of tires. It was time for him. He wouldn't be able to break the romantic walkaway of Marinette and Victor. He looked at her. She turned back. He smiled and waved goodbye. She waved back. Just like that. Was her smile a kind of apologise? Or maybe he saw too much? Maybe she had noticed he was upset with another boy admiring her? No, he wasn't upset. He was her friend. And friends want their friends to be happy.

Oh, come on! Who he tried to deceive?


	2. Jealousy

" **Jealousy"**

Adrien locked in his room immediately after coming back home. Nathalie wouldn't bother him, because officially he went to do his homework.

"Say it!" Plagg muttered, flying directly to his camembert supplies. Yeah, nothing could kill his appetite for cheese.

"Say what?" Adrien answered pretending he didn't know what Plagg was talking about.

"You can't trick me. We, kwamis, are like radars for emotions. And you should be happy that we also can hide your emotions from Hawkmoth. Because you would be an easy target today."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on. About Marinette. Don't pretend."

"I just don't get it. What happened today? I should be happy, shouldn't I?"

"Why should you?" Plagg asked surprised.

"I'm her friend, so I should wish her the best."

"Yep, agree to that…" Plagg took another piece of cheese. "And?"

"So, why I'm not happy that the New Guy, what-is-his-name…"

"It's Victor, Adrien. And you know that…" Plagg smiled slyly.

"Yghhr…" Adrien grinded his teeth and his kwami grinned.

"In my modest, or rather immodest, opinion you think that something completely different would be the best for her."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, you're such a dork…" Plagg murmured with irritation. "You really don't get it? If you don't say it now… If you don't name it by its name… I will… I will choke with the next camembert bite. Yes. I will commit a hara-kiri!"

"Hara-kiri is supposed to be committed with a samurai sword…" Adrien burst out of laughing.

"Don't change the subject! Say it!"

"What?"

"I'm waiting…" Plagg was keeping a piece of cheese in a hand and opened his mouth.

"Oh, come on… I don't know, Plagg. You want me to say that I'm jealous?" Adrien said with irritation something that had been bothering him for a whole day. Cheese was still in a "stand-by" position. "Uhm, I think that _I_ should walk Marinette home?" – still _nope_. – "Uhm, that I would be the best boyfriend for Marinette?"

"Don't tell me that you don't think that." Plagg ate his camembert with satisfaction, giving up the suicide.

"But… It's Marinette. You forgot that I'm in love with Ladybug?"

"Please, remind me. Why you are in love with Ladybug?"

"Oh, she's so special…"

"Really? Tell me, what Ladybug _does have_ that Marinette doesn't?" Plagg asked with innocent smile.

Adrien looked at his kwami astonished. Good question. What Ladybug had that Marinette didn't?

"I'm glad seeing you thinking." Plagg grinned. "By the way you can make a list of what Marinette has and Ladybug doesn't. I think it will be a longer list." Plagg took another piece of cheese.

"Don' eat too much. You'll get sick." Adrien muttered.

"Don't worry, kid. I'm used to be happy with the full-of-camembert-stomach."

Adrien fell silent. After a while he said:

"OK, I have something. Ladybug is brave and go-ahead. And Marinette…"

"Yeah? Nice try, kid. Personally, I would give you at least ten examples when Marinette was very brave. And if she must, she can be go-ahead as well. Remember the election? She always thinks about the others. She tries to reconcile friends. And sometimes forgets about herself for the others. And how many times she has supported you…"

"Because she's my friend!"

"Agree. But don't tell me that she doesn't have something. You just don't see it." Plagg seemed to be a little annoyed with explaining obvious things.

"I need to talk to her." Adrien decided. "As Cat Noir."

"It's not a good idea."

"I have to know what she thinks about this Victor… She won't tell Adrien. But maybe she will tell Cat Noir…"

"Adrien, it's a very stupid idea!" Plagg tried with stronger words.

"Not knowing is killing me."

"You won't cope with the consequences…"

"What? What do you mean?" Adrien froze in the gesture of transformation.

"I told you that we, kwamis, can feel the emotions. And I'm telling you now that you won't manage to deal with the truth."

"You know something?"

"I can't tell you. I can't betray someone's trust."

"Plagg."

"No. There are things you have to grow up to them. And in my opinion, you're not ready yet. Unless I'm wrong and I'm going to be surprised."

"Enough. Claws out!"


	3. The Balcony Scene

" **The Balcony Scene"**

Minutes later Cat Noir was on his way to Marinette's house. Running across the roofs he was thinking about Plagg's words. What did he mean by saying that Adrien was not ready for the truth? What truth? And what emotions could he feel? Some feelings between Marinette and Victor? Maybe Plagg was worrying that if Marinette admitted that she had feelings to Victor, Adrien would break down? No, not knowing was worse than knowing the worst truth!

He stopped suddenly on the neighbour rooftop. Marinette was standing on her balcony, staring at the sunset. The wind was gently blowing her hair and the sun lighted her face with orange glimmers. Why he hadn't noticed before that she was so beautiful? And sensitive… No, he shouldn't ask her about the New Guy. It wasn't his business, no matter what he started thinking about her.

Cat Noir jumped down silently on the balcony. Marinette didn't even move.

"Something's wrong in the city, Cat?" she asked quietly, still staring at the sunset.

"N-no…" he stammered. How did she know he appeared?

"I thought you're running on roofs only when there's an akuma attack." She added, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Eh, yeah…" he smiled, suddenly intimidated. "Actually, I… I had to leave home for a while. Sitting inside was…" he couldn't finish with the words:

"… killing you?" she did it for him, with a sad smile. She turned her face to the sunset. The sun was gone, but there was still the orange-and-pink light above the horizon.

"You know this feeling?" he asked quietly, approaching her and sitting on the railing next to her. He looked at her sideways.

"Sometimes. Then I'm coming here and staring at the city."

"Like today?"

"Like today…" she closed her eyes for a second.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked. Yeah, as if he didn't know…

"Uhm, nothing…" she shrugged her shoulders.

"You can tell me." he smiled.

"Oh… I think Alya would be better. You know… Troubles with boys."

"I'm a boy." He grinned. "I can help you. I can explain you what is happening in these strange boys' heads."

"Sure, Cat!" she laughed.

He realised that she was so cute at that moment. And was surprised that he hadn't noticed that before.

"So, what's the problem, Princess?"

"Oh, you know…" she began, blushing. "Well… I even don't know how to start…"

"Maybe from the beginning?" he encouraged her, trying to stay calm but with so many emotions inside that he thought incidentally it could kill Plagg.

"Well… Something weird happened today." Marinette said after a while. "A new boy came to our school. And…" suddenly she got lost in her thought, unaware that her interlocutor was holding his breath and waited impatiently for the rest of the story. "I think he… I… Well… I think he likes me?" she ended doubtfully and looked at Cat with silent question in her eyes.

Cat Noir felt the overwhelming desire to embrace her. How cute she was in her uncertainty! He burst out laughing. He was completely disarmed with discovering all those now-obvious emotions.

"Cat?" she frowned her eyebrows and looked at him with disapprobation. He thought that only Ladybug looked at him with such eyes.

"Pardon, Princess." He apologised immediately. "I laughed not because someone liked you. On the contrary. I was surprised that you were surprised that someone could like you. Do you understand what I mean?"

"What?" she asked with eyes widened with astonishment.

"Oh, Marinette. Why it's so hard for you to believe that you can be liked by someone?"

"Uhm… Because… Uhm… Because I'm so… ordinary?"

"Oh, Marinette. What you're saying? Don't you remember that you have already turned some boys' heads? And at least one became an akuma victim because of that fact. Remember? When I was rescuing you on your date with Evillustator?" He winked to her. He didn't mention Nino, Victor… and himself… Yeah, that was the truth… Plagg was talking about it.

"If I remember properly, that _I_ was rescuing _you_ that night, Cat." She murmured with half-smile.

Something moved inside him when he recalled the moment they escaped the glass cage. How could he be so blind?

"Well… Yeah…" he sighed, suddenly embarrassed. And concentrated on his feelings.

"This is different. I mean… It's that…" she began.

She turned away to the view. It was getting dark with only a narrow line of the sunset light on the horizon.

"What?" he asked quietly, impatiently waiting for the answer and yet… afraid of hearing it…

"Cat… Have you ever been in love?" Marinette asked, staring at the darkness.

Yeah, I have. I _am_. I _am_ in love.

"And when the person you love doesn't feel the same?"

Yep. Exactly, the same.

"Hopelessly doesn't?" she added, still not looking at him, unaware that he didn't answer her loudly, but follow her in his thoughts.

"What do you mean: hopelessly?" he asked with voice hoarse from emotions.

"That you don't have a hope anymore that they will answer with the same."

"There's always hope." He whispered.

"No, there is not…" she answered with tears in her eyes.

He couldn't see it because at that moment he was trying to understand all feelings inside him. And there were too many emotions to stay calm.

"Sometimes you just know. That there's no hope…" she added.

"Why? Why are you saying that?" he asked. "You said he liked you." He added with fear, waiting for the final confirmation. End of hopes for him. But he needed to know.

"Oh, Cat! It's not him!" she exclaimed, and he felt a relief. For a second. Because he realised immediately that there had to be someone else. Someone he didn't know and couldn't do anything to prevent him to win Marinette's heart.

"Not him?"

"Oh, it's complicated…"

"Maybe I can help? Tell me. You're my friend, aren't you?"

"Yeah…" she sighed. "A friend… For him I'm a friend as well… And that's why it's so hopeless…"

"I don't follow." He answered after a while of trying to understand. "If you're friends, that should be easier, shouldn't it?" He was analysing a list of Marinette's friends to try to figure out which one was the subject of their discussion.

"Oh, Cat…" she sighed again. He didn't get it at all! "If someone is your best friend, you will never look at them like at a person you might love. You can see all their good sides, but you don't feel that it's anything special. Not special enough to love for that. Well… I don't know how to explain it better…"

She didn't have to. Plagg said the same. And Adrien already understood it practically.

"And… I think that friends will never risk their friendship for love…" she added, staring still at the darkness. Her eyes filled with tears again.

"Why do you think they risk it?" he asked silently.

"Because if they break up, it will be impossible to come back to being friends again. The friendship will be lost..."

"Or… they will be together for the rest of their lives." He said. "If they are friends and they love each other, there's no force on the Earth to divide them!"

"Oh, Cat… You're saying that because you still have a hope…" she shook her head.

He glanced at her. With hope. Did she figure out? She turned to him. And at that moment he saw tears in her eyes. He felt his heart hurt.

"It's hopeless for both of us, Cat." She whispered, touching his cheek. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Ladybug will never risk your friendship. Even for love. Same, Adrien won't risk for me…" she stopped suddenly, terrified that she said too much.


	4. The Reveal

" **The Reveal"**

Marinette blushed and froze for a moment. Cat Noir didn't catch what she had just said. He was absorbing the information slowly and reluctantly. Suddenly, he felt the happiness filling him. At the same second Marinette moved to escape from the balcony and to hide in her bedroom. The cat's instinct helped him to catch her wrist at the last moment before she managed to leave. He needed her to stay. He needed to know more.

"Let me go…" she whispered, not looking at him.

"I can't."

"Don't tell anyone, please… He cannot get known."

"Why?"

"No… I can't… I will die… It's so embarrassing…"

"Why it's embarrassing?"

"Cat… please… Let me go…"

"Tell me, Marinette."

"I won't risk the friendship." She answered firmly turning to him.

"It's a little late for that…" he said, smiling.

"You're really going to tell him?" she asked with disbelief and disappointment in her eyes.

"I don't have to. He's already known, Marinette." He smiled widely.

He knew what he had to do. He couldn't lose her. He had to risk the friendship to save something at least equally valuable. Something he wanted the most. Her love.

"Plagg, claws in…"

Marinette's eyes widened with astonishment. There was Adrien standing next to her, still holding her hand.

"I wouldn't forgive myself knowing that you think I betrayed your trust." He whispered. "I wouldn't tell anyone your secret. But you had to know that I know from you, not from Cat Noir."

"Oh…" she froze for a moment. "But… But if you're Cat Noir… that means… that means…" suddenly, she realised that she had already kissed Adrien Agreste… And she blushed immediately. "But I don't understand… Cat Noir… he loves Ladybug…" she whispered.

"No." Adrien answered. "I love _you_."

"And Ladybug?"

"I don't know… I've been fascinated with her for so many months. I thought it was love. But today I finally realised what love actually is. And who's the person I love… A friend of mine asked me today a question what Ladybug had that you didn't." they heard muted _you're welcome, kid_ from Adrien's chest and he blushed. "And I realised that… there's no such thing. Uhm, it's complicated…" he sighed.

"See? I told you…" she laughed suddenly. "But I think I can dispel at least that one doubt…"

"Can you do that for two doubts?"

"Two?"

"Uhm, I don't know what is the one you're talking about… But I'd appreciate, if you tell me… something the most important."

"The most important?"

"Well… Actually, I figured it out a little, and you made a slip of a tongue a little. But… I really need to hear it. Do you… Do you love me?" He asked, and both his face and ears made red.

"Oh, Adrien Agreste… Yes. I love you." She said smiling at him and feeling a relief that these words were not a secret of her heart anymore.

"That's great. Because I love you too, Marinette Dupain-Cheng." He answered with a laugh and embraced her.

He stared at her eyes. How didn't he notice before that they are so beautiful? How didn't he notice the shape of her lips, just made to be kissed. Yes. To be kissed.

He leaned and kissed her for the first time. And the second. And the next one. Happiness was buzzing in his head. She hugged him firmly, plunged her hands into his hair, and they continued kissing for a wonderful long moment.

Suddenly Marinette pulled him away. They looked dazed at each other.

"Wait, one more thing." She said.

"One more thing?" he didn't understand.

"I promised you something."

"To dispel a doubt." He remembered. "But I already know everything."

"Not quite… There's something I need to tell you…" she turned to her bedroom. "Tikki?"

Adrien felt his heart stopped, when he saw a little red pellet coming to Marinette. He didn't have to ask what that was. Even if he had any doubts left, Plagg answered to all unasked questions.

"Hi, Tikki. It's been a while…" Plagg welcomed Tikki.

"I think that if I've known, you should know as well." Marinette whispered.

Adrien stared at her in shock, trying to absorb all information. A miraculous evening!

"You _do_ realise that we are bonded with this secret for the rest of our lives?" he whispered grinned. "Only you and I know that I'm Cat Noir and you're Ladybug. So, you can see we have to be together forever…" he hugged her and leaned for kissing her again.

"Uhm… There is Master Fu as well. Who knows." She said the only thing she could formulate in a sentence.

"Who?" he froze millimetres from her lips.

"Master Fu. The Miraculous Guardian." She explained with a smile, that he could feel on his lips.

"Mhmm… I don't think I see him anywhere in our relationship…" he joked, and she laughed.

"You _do_ have something of Cat Noir in you! How could I miss that before?"

"I am Cat Noir. He's all me."

"No. You are completely different!" she denied. "Cat Noir is not serious, he's irritating and flirting all the time!"

"That's not true! I have flirted only with you and Ladybug. So, still only with you. But… I think you're right. It seems that I'm a little shyer without the mask…"

"Uhm… Shy? Where did your shyness go?" she smiled, plunging her hands into his hair.

"Yep, gone." He muttered, leaning to kiss her.

"So sweet…" Tikki whispered.

"Yeah…" Plagg murmured. "I'll be sick of this sweetness, that's sure. Oh, I would kill for a piece of camembert. Just for the balance."

Marinette stopped a kiss immediately and turned to Plagg.

"You're hungry?" she asked with concern.

"Hello!" Adrien tried to draw her attention back, but a second later he smiled with comprehension. That was all of her. Feed those, who was hungry.

"I'll bring you something." She left in a hurry.

"You should be happy that I like you…" Adrien muttered to Plagg. "Otherwise I would kill you now."

"Oh, come on, kid. Sorry for interrupting you this romantic moment, but you have the rest of your lives for that. And my life would end soon if I didn't get my camembert…"

"Sure, it would…" Adrien answered with a smile. He couldn't be angry with Plagg.


	5. A Serious Talk

" **A Serious talk"**

Marinette showed back a few minutes later. She brought a tray full of pastries, two mugs of hot chocolate and a plate with camembert.

"I must admit that I completely understand you, Adrien." Plagg said with tenderness in his voice.

"Are you trying to compare my love to Marinette to your love to camembert?" Adrien contorted.

"No, kid. I mean that I love Marinette as well. If you ever stop loving that guy, I'll be waiting for you." Plagg winked to the girl.

"Your parents didn't ask you why you need so much food?" Adrien asked, interrupting hugs between Marinette and Plagg.

"I told them that you visited me." She answered frankly, sitting on the couch. "You realise that you will have to leave through the door?" she smiled coquettishly. "And at proper time."

"I'll be back through your window… I wish I didn't have to leave at all…" he sat next to her and surrounded her with his arm.

"Oh… And start thinking about a serious conversation with my parents…" she added incidentally, taking a croissant.

"Wait, what?" he asked with a fear in his voice.

"You know. With questions like _What are your intentions to our daughter?_ And so on…" she grinned and bit her croissant.

"What am I supposed to answer?" he asked.

"The truth. I think it's the best. You must know that I hate lies and liars because my parents taught me not to trust such people. And I think it's something in genes. You remember that Ladybug has been sensitive especially on this subject. Do you want to try a croissant?" she asked smiling coquettishly again.

"Thanks!" he smiled and bit… her croissant. "Delicious."

"Don't do that in front of my parents." She warned him.

Suddenly they heard steps on the stairway. Kwamis left immediately and hid in the dollhouse. Adrien and Marinette jumped off each other. Her face became beetroot red, his – on contrary – white as a sheet. He tried to remind himself that Marinette's parents were always nice to him. But now the situation was different. He wasn't their daughter's schoolmate anymore. Now he was a seducer sneaking in her daughter's bedroom. If he was in their position, he would be at least suspicious towards such an admirer.

"Good evening, Adrien." Tom, Marinette's dad, welcomed him officially.

"Good evening." Adrien sprang out of the couch.

"We didn't notice when you came." Sabine, Marinette's mom added a little more gently.

"Uhm… It's because… Well…" Adrien blushed in embarrassment. "Next time I won't forget about it, I promise. Today I was a little bit restless."

"Restless?!" mom exclaimed.

"Uhm…" Adrien realised that it wasn't good word to calm Marinette's parents down. "Well… Today our new schoolmate walked Marinette home after class. And… Uhm… That made me a bit…

"Restless…" Tom finished the sentence. His mouth twitched a little, but his moustache covered the smile. Sabine gave him a little dig in the ribs. Both were rather tender seeing these kids in love.

"So… I assume that this anxiety led you directly to our daughter so unnoticed, didn't it?" Tom asked.

"Yes." Adrien admitted.

Marinette were standing next to him, silent and embarrassed. At least she didn't run away. To feel more confident, he took her hand. She looked at him in surprise. Everything was very serious. Was she ready for this? Of course, she had joked about this conversation a few minutes before. But she didn't know how to pass it through.

Taking Marinette's hand wasn't unnoticed by her parents. Mom tried not to weep with emotion, dad tried not to laugh.

"I understand that this anxiety doesn't bother you anymore?" Tom asked trying to be as serious as possible.

"Yes, sir. It doesn't." Adrien felt a relief. It seemed that the worst part was behind him.

"So, we can expect that _this_ will never happen again?" Tom didn't give up yet.

"Of course. It won't." Adrien agreed.

"Dad!" Marinette exclaimed.

"It's new for us, my dear. The same as for you." Sabine said calmly. "You know that we care about you and we want the best for you. We trust to each other and we are always honest. Now, we must extend the circle of our trust for this boy, don't you think?"

"Yes, you're right, mom." Marinette whispered, realising that there was no other boy in the world who would be more trustworthy than Adrien. She smiled at him.

"So, young man. Let's talk about some rules." Tom began, taking Marinette's chair and sitting there. Sabine sat on his knee. Adrien and Marinette sat in front of them on the couch. "First of all. Your dating cannot affect her school results."

"I can help Marinette. We have the same assignments, so we can learn together." Adrien suggested, calculating how much time they earn to be together.

"Perfect idea, don't you think Tom?" Sabine supported Adrien before her husband found something suspicious in this plan.

"Secondly, there's no sitting at night at each other homes." Tom continued. "Nights are for sleeping. In your own houses." He added, noticing they both blushed. Well, maybe they were too young for this, but rules are rules…

Marinette realised at that moment that Adrien and she were doing much worse things at nights than her parents were thinking or being afraid of. Spending time in each other's bedroom was a piece of cake comparing to akuma fights.

"Thirdly, it would be nice to know that you're going out at least a day before you plan to do that."

Then Tom tried to find more rules, but Sabine took the opportunity to end this embarrassing conversation, saying:

"And finally, we're leaving now, Tom. Don't stay too long, Adrien. I know it's Friday and you can do your homework tomorrow. But you need time to sleep as well."

"I would like to ask you if I can come tomorrow." Adrien sprang out of the couch again. "For doing homework."

"Homework?" Marinette exclaimed disappointed. What about the rule number three?

"And I would like to ask Marinette out in the evening. Can I?" Adrien added.

"You got it." Tom smiled at him. And left Marinette's room holding his wife's hand.

"You know what? I want that." Adrien sighed sitting next to Marinette.

"What? Holding my hand?" she laughed. "Here." She gave him her hand.

"I'd like to hold your hand even after fifteen years of marriage." He confessed still staring at the trapdoor.

"Adrien Agreste. Have you just proposed?" she asked jokingly.

"It's obvious, don't you think?"

"Wh-What?" she lost her breath.

"You said that we shouldn't risk our friendship for love, unless it's forever."

"I didn't say that!"

"OK, you said the first half. And the second part I figured out." He grinned and then embraced her and kissed.


	6. Homework

" **Homework"**

It was Saturday afternoon.

Marinette was sitting on the couch reading the chapter from the book of history. Her left hand hung from the couch, and her fingers involuntarily combed the hair of Adrien sitting on the floor, doing his homework on chemistry. Marinette's mom looked discretely at the kids learning and withdrew quietly to the bakery.

"They are adorable!" she smiled to her husband.

"I can't believe that they are able to do their homework." Tom winked to Sabine.

"You know what? Me neither!" she laughed. "They are so serious… We should be proud of our girl."

"You're right. It looks like we've brought her up very well…"

They hugged and went back to work. They followed the kids' example.

"Yeah, I've finished." Marinette sighed.

"Shouldn't you read something else?" Adrien asked inattentively. "That helps me in calculating."

"My reading?" she laughed taking her hand to close the book. Adrien quickly grabbed her wrist.

"Rather what you're doing during reading." he answered.

"Oh! That was unknowingly!" she blushed.

"I've just remembered that we had a story to read for the literature classes." He suggested.

"Adrien, I have already read it."

"My bad…"

"So, I'll take a break… Do your chemistry homework." She sat more comfortably on the pillows, closed her eyes and plunged her hand again in his hair.

"Yeah, that's what I meant, My Lady." Adrien smiled and came back to his homework. Suddenly, he purred unconsciously. Marinette opened her eyes.

"Did you just purr?"

"N-no, impossible…" he answered confused. "I'm doing that only as Cat Noir."

"You purred, Adrien Agreste!"

"Are you sure that wasn't Plagg?" Adrien suggested, finishing his homework.

"Where did you leave him?"

"Last time I saw him, he was hugging camembert on a plate."

"The plate is correct. Camembert has passed away." Plagg answered from the dollhouse.

Adrien and Marinette laughed at this joke and came back to their work – Adrien to chemistry, Marinette to helping him by resting with eyes closed and her hand combing his hair.

"OK, Princess." Adrien sighed and stood up. "My chemistry is done. Your turn."

"Maybe you can give me the answers, so that we'll have finished earlier?" she smiled at him and winked.

"But that would be a scam. Doesn't that conflict with your approach to truthfulness?" he grinned.

"I know, I know, Kitty. But it was so tempting…"

"Oh, Marinette. Don't break my heart, saying that even your moral system has a price!"

"It doesn't." she answered. "And I'm aware that I have learn it anyway. But keep an eye on me just in case I started doing stupid things." She sat up straight and took a notebook.

"Well… Your hands also are pretty. Although I wanted to look at something else…" he sat next to her. Very close, surrounding her with his arm.

"The chemistry, Cat!"

"Yeah, the chemistry…" he murmured and kissed her shoulder.

"You're unbearable!" she moved her shoulder, trying to free it from him.

"Mhmmm…"

"Adrien, I can't focus on my homework, when you're doing that."

"Strange, it helped _me_."

She looked at him and smiled.

"Are you sure we're talking about the same things? You want to tell me, that you can remember the most important dates from… well… The French Revolution, if I do something like that?"

And she blew a warm breath in his neck, as once – in the cult movie – Marion did to Robin Hood.

"So, Mr. Agreste? What was the date of the Revolution outbreak?" she teased him.

"Mhmmmm ... Give me a moment ..."

"See?" she smiled with satisfaction and kissed him on the cheek. "Now, homework!"

"I never thought that doing homework could be so nice." He muttered, resting his cheek on her shoulder and observing how she solved the task.

"Mhmm ..." she murmured with a distracted tone, completely focused on the homework.

"Here should be ..." he began, but she shushed him impatiently.

"I'm thinking, Cat."

"I'm shutting up, My Lady."

"Good Kitty." She smiled.


	7. Are you afraid of my dad?

" **Are you afraid of my dad?"**

 _ **Warning!**_ _This part contains spoilers from "Volpina" episode (Season 1), "Collector" (Season 2) and "Robostus" (Season 2)._

Marinette finished her homework some minutes later. She was satisfied that Adrien had corrected her only once. Well, she was better in the humanities. It seemed that they complemented each other perfectly.

"Are you hungry?" Marinette's mom showed up in the trapdoor.

"Yes, mom! You're the best!" Marinette smiled in answer.

Sabine winked to her and left a tray with pastries next to the trapdoor. Then she withdrew stating that the kids were much more relaxed today. Yesterday they had been so adorably embarrassed! In the evening Sabine and Tom were discussing the entire situation with amusement. Long after Adrien left, they giggled remembering the conversation with their daughter's admirer.

"Your parents will kill Nathalie!" Adrien joked, taking the tray.

"Why? I don't get it."

"If they feed me so well, I'll put on weight. My career as a model will end, my father will get mad and Nathalie will have huge problems." He explained with a croissant in his mouth.

"Uhm… By the way…" Marinette became serious.

"I know what you want to say. That I'm too skinny and I should eat more. I've started feeling like a stray cat, finally taken in by his lady."

"Uhm… Adrien?"

Marinette looked at him shyly. His smile faded away. His joke didn't make her laugh, so it was something serious.

"What's going on, Princess?"

"Uhm… It will be better if you sit down…"

"Marinette… You're scaring me…" he whispered.

"You know… I was thinking…"

"Oh, come on! Just say it! Or I'll die of anxiety."

"It's about your dad." She said quickly, closing her eyes. As if it was something to help. Well, at least she didn't see his face when he heard her words.

"Just don't tell me you're afraid of my dad!" Adrien suddenly laughed. "I mean, he can be frightening, and he isn't rather a warm person, but I'm sure he'll be enchanted..." he added quickly.

"I'm not so sure… You know how clumsy I am. It took some time for you too. And besides, I will do something stupid, because I want to make a good impression. And you must know that I have been a fan of your father for years. I admire his achievements and it is thanks to him that I started designing." She smiled with embarrassment. "But wait. We were not supposed to talk about it."

"So, about what you wanted to talk?" Adrien sat next to Marinette and looked at her concerned.

"Do you remember the day when you lost your dad's book?" Marinette went straight to the point.

"Yes, I rem… member…" he stopped suddenly and looked at her in shock. He remembered what Ladybug had told him about her suspicion of Hawkmoth's identity. "No, Marinette." He said coldly. "We have already solved this problem. He cannot be Hawkmoth. He couldn't send an akuma on himself!"

"Uhm, Adrien?" she stammered. "I think it's time to visit Master Fu. He will explain everything."

"Marinette…" Adrien took her hand. "Do you still think… that… my dad is…?" he couldn't finish the question. But her silence was the answer. "I can't believe that you still think that!"

"Adrien… I don't know. But Master Fu said that the book had been lost with two miraculous: the butterfly and the peacock. And he assumed that someone who had the book also had those two miraculous."

"Pea… Peacock?" Adrien stammered, feeling not clearly that a peacock reminded him something. "How does it look like?"

"I'm not sure. It was drawn in the book." Marinette answered involuntarily. "You _do_ need to meet Master Fu. I… I'm afraid that I'll mess it up. He should explain everything directly to you."

"How do you know what's in the book?" he asked in a strange tone, moving away from her.

"Oh…" she closed her eyes, terrified with a cold fear in her heart.

She felt that Adrien would tell her that she had lied to him and he would dump her. She could imagine next scenes. She saw the pathetic end of their love story that had started just yesterday. No! She couldn't allow to that! Not so easily.

"Marinette?" he asked and took her hand.

"Adrien. I will explain everything. But please, don't interrupt. Just wait with decisions till the end of my story, OK?"

"What decisions?" he asked immediately.

"Probably you will never speak to me again…" she answered faintly, and her heart sank. "Never mind. I'll tell you the whole story."

"You're scaring me, Marinette…"

"Shush." She put her finger on his lips and smiled sadly when she felt the kiss on it. Who knows, maybe the last one in her life ... "Because I will lose the courage to tell." She added.

"Okay. I promise to keep quiet."


	8. Marinette's story

" **Marinette's story"**

 _ **Warning!**_ _This part contains spoilers from "Volpina" episode (Season 1) and "Collector" (Season 2)._

Marinette closed her eyes and sighed. That was the moment to tell him the truth. The whole truth.

"Well. It started on the day when Lila came to our school. She went with you to the library."

"How do you know that?" Adrien asked.

"I followed you." She answered. "As you probably figured out, I was jealous." She smiled remembering that moment. Well, she hadn't been happy that day, but today she knew Adrien's feelings. "You were not supposed to interrupt!"

"OK, I'm shutting up." He promised.

"So, I hid behind a bookshelf. Lila was so intrusive! I thought I would kill her!" Marinette gritted her teeth and Adrien grinned. "Well, I made a mess. Some books fell, I turned down a trolley… You know how I'm clumsy when I'm nervous."

"That explains a lot." He smiled.

"You were to be quiet!" she reminded. "Or I'll never finish. So… Then Tikki noticed your book and told me that she needed to be sure if it wasn't the very special book. And then all your books tipped out. And…

"That was you?!" Adrien exclaimed. "You took my book?!

She was the reason of his problems? Of being imprisoned at his own house?

"ADRIEN!" both kwamis shouted at him.

"Shut up! Or she'll never end!" Plagg growled.

"She even hasn't started yet!" Tikki added. "Come on, Marinette!"

"Oh, OK… Well… Uhm… I hid under the table. _Don't ask_ how I got there!" she shouted seeing that Adrien opened his mouth to make a question. "Please… Don't interrupt. I saw that Lila moved your book with her foot and then she took it. So, as soon as you left the library I wanted to follow you and tell you that she's a theft. But Tikki forced me to get the book back. So, I followed Lila. Then you came to the park, and she threw the book to a trashcan. And Tikki took the book. But I got angry when I heard Lila's lies. So, I transformed and said openly what I was thinking about her. And then she was akumanized and transformed into Volpina. You know the rest… And then…" she sighed. "And then Tikki told me that it was the saint book about the miraculous. And that there was someone who had been looking for it for many, many years. So, she took me to Master Fu. I had been there once when Tikki was ill." Adrien made a move like he was about to ask if kwamis could be ill, but Marinette was faster and put her finger on his lips again. "And then Master Fu told me that the owner of the book must be Hawkmoth. And then I…" she stopped suddenly.

"Keep going, Marinette!" Tikki encouraged her. "You're doing so well."

"I'm so sorry, Adrien! But at first, I thought that… I thought that you were Hawkmoth…" she looked anxious at him. Adrien laughed hearing that.

"Really, kid? It's funny for you?" Plagg asked looking at him with disgust.

"Then, at school, I found out that was your father's book." Marinette continued. "And I felt relief that it wasn't you. On the other hand, that meant your father was Hawkmoth. And then your dad was akumanized… And I was completely lost. So, I went back to Master Fu and told him everything and asked him for the book. I had to return it to your father, otherwise you would never come back to school. And… And I asked Master Fu… if Hawkmoth could akumanize himself…"

"And what did he say?" Adrien asked breathless.

"He wasn't sure." Marinette answered with fading tone. "He didn't deny. I'm so sorry…"

"But he didn't confirm, did he?" Adrien spotted. "What happened later? How the book was returned?"

"I brought it back."

" _What?!_ " Adrien exclaimed.

"Master Fu made photos of all pages and he's been analysing secrets of our miraculous now. And I went to your dad to return the book."

"In person?" Adrien looked at Marinette in disbelief.

"I've told you she's brave…" Plagg muttered.

"Yes, in person." She answered simply. "Otherwise you wouldn't come back to school."

"Oh, Marinette!" Adrien exclaimed and hugged her. "Why didn't you tell me? I was wondering why my dad changed his mind. He didn't tell me anything."

"Because I asked him for not telling you."

"I can't believe that you've done something like that for me…"

"You know, usually I do much more dangerous things for you…" she smiled.

"As Ladybug. But as Marinette… I can't believe that. You are… You're… you know, there are no words to say how amazing you are!" he looked at her with admiration and kissed her.


	9. If Gabriel is Hawkmoth

" **If Gabriel is Hawkmoth"**

 _ **Warning!**_ _This part contains a lot of spoilers from "Simon Says" (Season 1) and "Robostus" (Season 2)._

"OK, so let's assume that my terrible father _is_ Hawkmoth." Adrien said suddenly. "Why would he do so much evil?"

"Combining our two miraculous gives the absolute power." Marinette answered. "You could wish whatever you wanted."

"Oh, God…" Adrien whispered.

"What?"

"Maybe he wants… He may want to bring my mom back. Maybe that's why he's wanted our miraculous. If that was the reason, we could…"

"No, Adrien!" Marinette stopped him.

"You don't understand!" he was flushed with excitement. "It means he's not evil. He's got good intentions!"

"Do you really think that end justifies the means?" Marinette asked him seriously. "That the desire to bring his wife back justifies everything he has done for the last year? That it is OK to strive for a good purpose by doing evil?"

"I don't know, Marinette. But I understand him a bit. I mean, you're absolutely right, but… Oh, come on! What if you were in the same situation? That you loved someone so much and lost them. Wouldn't you do anything to bring them back?"

"Adrien… I don't want to even imagine that!" she looked at him with tears in her eyes. "It isn't so simple. You must understand that we should never let anyone to combine our miraculous!"

"But why? It's my dad! He'll bring my mom back and give them back to us."

"Adrien!" Marinette shouted. "I thought the same. That the absolute power would help us making only good things and the world would be a better place. But Master Fu explained that the universe works by balance. That's the reason our miraculous are so powerful. Because they are opposites. Ladybug is a symbol of luck, black cat – of bad luck. I have power of creation. You – of destruction. Don't you get it? If your dad wished for getting back your mom… then…" she stopped, because she couldn't say it aloud. She couldn't stand that.

"Then he would lose someone else, equally important to him." Adrien ended silently.

"I won't allow him to do that!" she informed him firmly. "But your father doesn't know about this price. It's coded in the book. I suppose your dad hasn't decrypted the text."

"What if we tell him about the price?" Adrien suggested.

"Then he'll know that we're the miraculous holders, he's been trying to defeat for a year. Don't you think he would take your ring and my earrings? So simply, when we're civilian not superheroes? You're in danger that he could come to your bedroom and just take the ring when you're sleeping."

"Uhm, M-marinette…" Adrien stammered.

"Yes?"

"I've just remembered one day, when… Uhm… Do you remember the day when we saved Paris from Simon Says?" he asked, and she blushed immediately. He looked at her sideways, because he also remembered the moment when she had been looking for him in the bathroom. He smiled, and her blush deepened. "Oh, so you remember." He said. "As Cat Noir I almost revealed my identity to my dad, because I had knowledge about the security system."

"Oh, you're right! I didn't get that!"

"And that day my father went to my room and asked about my ring…"

"Do you think he knows?"

"I hope not. Because in that case I would be in danger, indeed."

"I don't like it…" Plagg cut in.

"I think we should definitely go to Master Fu!" Tikki added.

"You're right, Tikki!" Marinette agreed and stood up from the couch.

"You want to go right now?" Adrien was surprised.

"We have no time to lose." Marinette said. "Adrien, if your dad is Hawkmoth, it means that he cruelly mocked us by akumatize himself. It means that it was a well-planned diversion. I'm not afraid of his akumatized villains and as Ladybug I can fight them to the bitter end. But I'm frightened when someone does something so suspicious. And when I think that only the door to your bedroom separates us from the loss of one of the miraculous, I'm terrified. And I hope that Master Fu will give us something more than just good advice to be careful."

"I wouldn't like to be made to listen to Hawkmoth's commands." Plagg muttered flying to Adrien's pocket.

"But you know he's evil." Adrien said.

"Kwamis must obey their masters." Tikki explained. "Even if we know that it's against the rules or it's just evil. I'm sure it's very difficult for Nooroo… He's been our friend. And now he's forced to help doing the evil." She added, and then flew to Marinette's purse.


	10. A walk

" **A walk"**

Marinette took Adrien's hand and they went downstairs to the bakery.

"Mom, we've finished homework. We'll leave for a while, can we? We'll be back for dinner."

"Sure, darling." Sabine answered and continued her work.

"You know what? It looks completely different in my case." Adrien confessed when they went out.

"How?" she looked at him sideways.

"Well… Practically I need to apply for permission to leave. I need to prove what benefits it will bring to me. You can't imagine what I had to do for letting me go to school."

"Poor boy…" Marinette smiled. "It seems to be very hard to live in a gilded cage, huh?"

"You have no idea."

"That's weird, I like it!" they heard Adrien's pocket. "Lazy days and tones of camembert… What more do you need?"

"Speak for yourself, Plagg." Adrien muttered.

"So, how you managed to go out for the whole day?" Marinette asked.

"I said I was going to my colleague to work on the project and that could take the whole day."

"Your colleague?" Marinette repeated quietly with disappointment.

"Oh, Marinette!" he realised how she could interpret his words. "It's not what you're thinking!" he assured her and embraced her face.

"How do you know what I'm thinking?" she asked looking at his eyes with sadness.

"I'm pretty sure that you thought that I was ashamed of you, that I would never tell my dad about you and I would hide you from him just to not let him know that his perfect son chose an ordinary girl living above the bakery." He blurted out imitating the tone usually used by Marinette saying similar things.

"You know me so well, Kitty!" she laughed.

"I think I need to learn a lot about you…" he whispered. He took her hand and they continued walking.

"So, why did you say that you were going to a colleague?" she asked referring to the issue that bothered her.

"Can you imagine what would happen if I told them this morning?! It's a miracle they didn't notice I went out yesterday! Today they would start investigation on you and your family. Or they would try to put you into my schedule. I don't see it at all. I mean… how it will look like? Nathalie will put you somewhere between fencing and Chinese lessons?"

Marinette laughed.

"But you must know that probably it will be like this. You're a very busy guy. And I'm surprised that you had all day at your disposal."

"Well, I exaggerated the importance of the project we had to tackle…" he grinned and winked to Marinette. "I wasn't too precise when I was talking about the subject of the project, but you know very well that this is the most important project in our lives." He added and kissed her.

"Adrien… We're on the street…" she whispered.

"So?"

"So, someone can see us…" she blushed.

"So?"

"I don't know… It's weird a little…"

"Why? Are you ashamed of me?"

"No! Not at all!" she denied. "Rather you… of me!"

"Sure…" he smiled. "However, you might be right a bit. They can arrest us for inappropriate behaviour." He joked. "Let's go. By the way, do you know where we're going?"

"We're almost there."

Minutes later they entered a building with services of Chinese Medicine. Adrien looked at Marinette in surprise. Was it the correct address?

They heard chill-out music playing somewhere inside. Suddenly the door opened. There was an old man sitting on the mat with closed eyes and warm smile.

"I knew you'd come." He said opening his eyes and smiling to them.


	11. Visiting Master Fu

" **Visiting Master Fu"**

Tikki and Plagg flew into the room and went to say _"hello"_ to Wayzz – Master Fu's kwami. Marinette went in and looked like she was comfortable in this place, but Adrien felt confused a little bit. Hadn't he helped this old man to get up from the ground one day?

"Good afternoon." He said quietly.

"Good afternoon, Cat Noir." Master Fu answered.

Marinette was already sitting on the mat. She looked at Adrien waiting for him to join her. He hesitated but finally sat down next to her. He kept his eyes on Master Fu.

"Why you are so wary?" Master Fu asked the boy.

"I'm not wary." Adrien denied. "I'm only surprised. I… I remember you."

"Oh, you're very kind." Master Fu smiled. "You meet so many people in your life that I'm honoured to hear that our five-minute meeting has been remembered."

"Did you… Did you give me the miraculous at that moment?"

"No, Adrien. I did it later. But when we met for the first time I got known that you are the right person to be the miraculous holder."

"So, it was a test?"

"Kind of… Besides, Ladybug had a very similar test. You know… As the Guardian I must be very careful with choosing the miraculous holders. Just think about how many problems we've had because of one villain keeping the miraculous…"

"Marinette told me that two miraculous were lost." Adrien asked before he thought about consequences of his question. He was afraid of talking about Hawkmoth, because he didn't want to hear the confirmation of their biggest fear.

"Yes, you're right. I told Marinette about loss of the book and two miraculous: the Butterfly and the Peacock. I suspect that all those objects have been in possession of the same person."

"But you're not sure!"

"No, I'm not sure." Master Fu confirmed. "But it's not an excuse for us to forget about being very careful. Especially for you, my boy."

"Master Fu, can you show Adrien the picture of the Peacock miraculous?" Marinette asked.

"Of course, I can. But why you are interested in this particular one?"

"I don't know." Adrien answered. "When Marinette told me about it, I felt a hunch and it's been bothering me since then. I don't know… Maybe I saw it somewhere?"

Master Fu looked at him for a moment, then got up and brought his smartphone. After a while he found the right page of the holy book.

"Here you are." He showed the picture to Adrien.

"Wait! I've seen this before!" Plagg exclaimed.

"So have I, I think…" Adrien whispered in shock.

"Remember, kid? That was in the safe!" Plagg reminded. "There were some strange things inside… Let me think… A book about Tibet and a leaflet from a hotel?"

"My mom's picture… And a hair grip… Just like this one…"

"Tibet?" Marinette spotted. "Your dad told me that he had found this book when he travelled with your mom in Tibet!"

"I have no idea if they've ever been in Tibet." Adrien remarked. "On the other hand, they were away for so many times, that Tibet is equally possible as the rest of the world."

"Master Fu…" Marinette looked at Master Fu with concern. "We talked with Adrien about… Uhm… Hawkmoth…"

Adrien looked at her with fear. He wasn't ready for these questions!

"Don't be afraid, Cat Noir. We can't be afraid of the truth." Master Fu said to Adrien, seeing his reaction on Marinette's question.

"I wouldn't be so sure…" Adrien muttered.

"I see there's a lot of fear in both of you. And the source of this fear lies in Hawkmoth." Master Fu stated very seriously. "You can't let the fear from the truth affect your perception of the world. If you close your eyes to the truth, even if it's the worst, you may miss an important warning of danger. And that will mean the final defeat. You must be aware! And you have to trust to each other. I said this to Marinette when she brought me the book and hid the information from whom she'd got it. Because she wanted to protect the beloved one."

"You wanted to protect me?" Adrien asked quietly and Marinette blushed immediately. She was ashamed of hiding the truth, when she had talked about truthfulness for so many times.

"I told you that I thought you were Hawkmoth." She murmured looking at him dolefully.

"But you didn't mention that you'd lied by the way…" he grinned.

"Oh, you'll never forget me this, right?" she closed her eyes.

"It's good to know that you have any weak points." He answered and kissed her cheek. She blushed again – this time because of contentment.

Master Fu looked at them with curiosity. And in complete silence.


	12. Ladybug's plan

" **Ladybug's plan"**

"As I said… We must trust to each other. This is the only way we can defeat Hawkmoth. If it is your father, we have to be very careful. That what happened recently, may prove that he misled Ladybug and Cat Noir intentionally about his identity. And that probably means that he has some suspicions of who you are. Do you understand how serious our situation is?"

"I know, I know. I'm endangered. My dad can come to my room anytime. Perhaps it will be safer to return my miraculous to you, Master? Maybe you should find another Cat Noir…" Adrien suggested and suddenly felt terribly sorry for those moments spent with Ladybug and Marinette. And for losing the company of Plagg.

"Ladybug is endangered equally or even more." Master Fu answered looking at them attentively. "Don't you think that if your father finds out about your feelings to each other, he will use you to get Ladybug and her miraculous?"

"No!" Marinette exclaimed. "I can't allow it! It's enough for me to remember that terrible moment with Volpina! I still have nightmares…"

Adrien put his arm around her. He remembered when Ladybug had already begun to pull off her earrings, just to save Adrien – or rather an illusion of him – from falling from the Eiffel Tower.

"As you can see, Ladybug." Master Fu continued. "It's very easy to reach you through your feelings to Adrien. This is your weakness."

"What if we mislead Hawkmoth?" Marinette suddenly proposed an idea. "Just as he misled us by akumatizing himself, we could confuse him about our identities!"

"How?" Adrien asked. Master Fu smiled slightly.

"Think, Adrien." Marinette continued. "If we convinced him that we are a couple..."

"Because we are, Marinette!" Adrien interjected.

"Well, your dad still doesn't know that because you haven't told him yet…" she muttered harshly but winked immediately to let him know that it was a joke. "So, if we convince him your dad that we love each other…"

"It won't be difficult…" he interrupted again, embracing her.

" _Adrien!_ " kwamis shouted at him. "She won't finish again!"

"What an unbearable boy!" Plagg added.

"So…" Marinette continued, putting her finger on his lips as she had done before when she was talking about the spell book. And he, like he had done then, kissed it. "If we convince him about our feelings, and at the same time we will play that Ladybug dislikes Cat Noir, maybe Hawkmoth will catch the bait and stop suspecting us?"

"This is… a great idea, Marinette!" Adrien exclaimed.

"You are perfect Ladybug, Marinette…" Master Fu stated.

"I told you, Master!" Tikki added significantly.

"There is a chance this will protect you a bit." Master Fu agreed. "But I must take additional steps to ensure your safety. Your miraculous are too valuable to risk losing them. I think you will need two or maybe three superheroes for help."

"Three?!" Wayzz exclaimed. "Why are you doing this to me, Master?!"

"Wayzz, you've been my companion for the last hundred years, but I need to find you a new holder. I'm too weak to face Hawkmoth."

"Master, it's been an honour for me." Wayzz replied, bowing.

"I will miss you, my friend." Master Fu said. And there were tears in his eyes.


	13. The rooftop kiss

" **The rooftop kiss"**

They were going back home as Ladybug and Cat Noir. Marinette had promised her mom to come back for dinner, and it was too late for walking. It was much faster to run on the Parisian roofs.

"Ladybug, wait!" Cat Noir stopped her on the rooftop of the Notre-Dame Cathedral.

"What happened, Cat?" she asked with concern, looking around to check if someone was attacking them. "What's wrong?"

"Before we come back… You know that I have to walk you home as Adrien." Cat Noir murmured.

"I guess so. I can't even imagine that we're coming back as superheroes! I hope you remember that you're staying for dinner? My parents wouldn't forgive you if I came back home alone after a date…"

"It's difficult to call it a date… I had different plans for this evening."

"I know, Adrien. But it was emergency. Besides, we should be aware that many dates will be ruined by akuma attacks."

"And some will be possible thanks to akuma attacks…" he grinned.

"Remember that we have to pretend that Ladybug has no feelings to Cat Noir… So that your dad won't find out our identities…"

"I remember. But… You know… I would like to ask you for something…"

"What?"

"Uhm… You know… I've always wanted to kiss Ladybug…"

"Yesterday you said you didn't love Ladybug!" she exclaimed.

"It's irrelevant now." he grinned. "I can't love you selectively. I can't love you only as Marinette, if you're also Ladybug. Just like you, you started to love me as Cat Noir, which had been impossible for you two days ago."

"Do you really think it will be different?" She asked, staring curiously at his lips.

"Mhm... We'll see in a moment..."

Even if there was someone on the street who wanted to look at the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, there was no chance to notice two kissing superheroes. And that was good, because they were ruining Marinette's perfect plan of misleading Hawkmoth.

"Well, I haven't noticed any difference." Ladybug sighed. "You can kiss me as a civilian."

"I think I also prefer our civilian kisses." Cat Noir agreed.

"That's great, because as Ladybug I'm not supposed to love you, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember…" he smiled. "Come on. We should de-transform somewhere."

"I know one place. Follow me!"

In a few minutes later, they were standing in a front of the bakery as Marinette and Adrien. Smiling and flushed a little.

"Mom, dad… Sorry for being late a bit." Marinette said to her parents.

"Oh, you're here at last!" Sabine welcomed them. "I've just wanted to call you, where are you."

"Do you need my help, mom?" Marinette changed the subject.

"Sure, darling! Can you set the table?"

"I can do something!" Adrien offered his help.

He knew a preparation of a dish altogether only from TV programmes. And he really wanted to take part in something like this one day.

Few moments later, all of them were bustling around the kitchen. Adrien felt like a member of the family – he was included so naturally. He could feel love in this place. And he thought that it was almost impossible that two days ago he hadn't been aware how important this wonderful girl was for him. The girl he couldn't imagine his life without.


	14. The Date

" **The Date"**

Marinette couldn't wait for Sunday afternoon. Today she was to have her first date with Adrien. The first _real_ date – yesterday hadn't counted.

She was sitting in her room trying to find the best outfit in her wardrobe. She wanted to look nice today. She was aware that it really didn't matter, because Adrien had chosen her, knowing her in her worst possible self – casual clothes, in better and worse mood, especially in worse ones…

Despite that all, she wanted to look pretty this evening. It was supposed to be their first date. Her first date in general. She would like to remember it forever. As everything that had happened in her life since Friday evening… She was collecting all those precious memories deeply in her heart.

Well… Friday… So long ago, considering how many things had happened since Friday morning, when she went to school broken down after hearing Adrien's confession to Kagami: _"Marinette is just a friend."_ Oh, that was heart-breaking! Even more, before that he had just described her with really nice words! He spoke so warmly about her! She did hope that maybe… maybe… he could feel something to her. And then this: _"just a friend…"_ Oh, she wanted to die! And yet… Then so many wonderful things happened that made her feel like she was in the clouds of dreaming since Friday night. She liked even his distracting her when she did her homework yesterday. And that kiss on the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. She felt warmth on her cheeks. Oh, how romantic it had been…

She was curious where they would go today. Adrien didn't say even a word about his plans for the evening. Yesterday, during the dinner he had asked her parents, if he could go out with her on Sunday. Fortunately, they had done their homework, and Marinette didn't have any additional work to do, so her parents agreed for the date.

"Marinette, I think you should hurry up…" Tikki whispered to Marinette's ear. "Adrien will be here in a minute, and you're still standing over your clothes. And it seems to me that you're thinking about something else."

"Oh, Tikki…" Marinette only sighed in response.

"I know, that you're daydreaming, but do you really want him to wait for you?"

"Right. You're right." Marinette called herself to order. "I need to change. Do you think I should choose a dress?"

"Marinette, it's a date. You should definitely choose the dress!"

"Won't it be too… elegant?"

"Do you know anything about dates?" Tikki asked.

"I haven't been on any yet…"

"Oh, dear…" Tikki sighed and added very quietly: "It will be… interesting then…"

"What do you mean?" Marinette spotted, taking one of her few dresses – a classic bateau neck a-line dress in deep blue colour, which fitted perfectly to her eyes.

"Nothing… Just get dressed!"

After a while Marinette was ready. Tikki helped her with the hair. This time Marinette decided to forget about her usual hairstyle in favour of a bun.

"You look so beautiful, Marinette." Tikki said. "It's a little bit odd, that I'm going with you on a date."

"Why is it odd?" Marinette was surprised.

"Well… You won't be alone even for a moment. Plagg and I will be with you all the time."

"Yesterday you were with us, as well. And we didn't have a problem with that. You're like part of me. I think I couldn't live without you, Tikki…"

"Marinette… You must know that one day we will have to say goodbye…" Tikki whispered and Marinette felt tears in her eyes.

"I hope it will be in one hundred years from now. Like Master Fu and Wayzz."

"Do you really think that it will be easier? After one hundred years?"

Marinette looked at her kwami, who became someone much closer and more important than the best friend. She couldn't even imagine her life without her.

"Honey, Adrien's here!" Sabine called Marinette.

"Thanks, mom! Give me a second!"

It was worth dressing up just to see Adrien's face when he saw her. She went down the stairs very carefully, because she wasn't used to high heeled shoes, and knowing her clumsiness, falling from the stairs was more than likely. When she stood in front of Adrien, he couldn't take his eyes off her. She blushed but felt very happy. He liked her look.

"You look… gorgeous." He whispered with hoarse in his voice.

"Thank you." She smiled in response.

He showed a rose hidden behind his back and handed it to her. She climbed on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. He held her for a moment, wanting to kiss her, but he remembered that there were Marinette's parents, who had discreetly left the room, but could equally discreetly look them from hiding.

"Shall we go?" he asked.

"Yes. I'll just take a jacket." She turned back and took a black jacket given by a hand poked out the door. "Thanks, mom…" she moaned. She knew they were watching…

"Just remember to walk our Cinderella home before midnight!" they heard Tom's voice.

"Of course!" Adrien answered quickly.

"Let's go…" Marinette said, leaving the apartment.

They went outside the bakery. Adrien looked at her and clasped their hands. She smiled answering for the silent question in his eyes. He leaned and kissed her.

"I wanted to do this as soon as I saw you." He said with Cat Noir's grin. "But I was afraid of your parents' reaction."

"I bet they would hug you and sighed with tenderness." Marinette muttered.

"Well, I thought rather about getting a beating from your dad." Adrien laughed and ruffled his hair.

"I've told you they're weird."

"I think they're adorable! Yesterday I wanted to ask them to adopt me."

"Yeah… Don't you think it would be odd today? Go for a date with a sister?"

"You're right. There are some weaknesses of my plan. I thought mainly about its advantages." He grinned, and she blushed in embarrassment.

"Where are we going?" she asked, changing the subject.

"You know, there is a very nice café nearby. I like its atmosphere. I thought you would like it.

She looked at him with a smile and clutched his hand.

"Let's go then…" she whispered, immersing her nose in the rose-leaves.


	15. Is it a relationship?

" **Is it a relationship?"**

Adrien smiled to himself. He had been wondering for so long if he should give her this rose. Generally, he didn't have any experience in dating. If he hadn't had Plagg who made him to plan anything, they would spend their first date on the bench in the park. Or worse – at her house. He felt like he should suggest something. It was like a pressure he should show the initiative. But after a moment he remembered that it was Marinette. _His_ Marinette. After all, she wouldn't expect a dinner in a Michelin 3-star restaurant. She would be more interested in spending time with him. The same was the most important to him – to spend time with her, to gaze into her eyes, to make her blush… And to talk, talk, talk – just for the future. They would see each other tomorrow at school with all that disturbing stuff like teachers and classes.

Luckily, Plagg forced his brain to work and finally Adrien remembered a little café nearby Marinette's house. Adrien had been there once, and now it seemed to be a perfect place for a date.

When they went inside the café, he looked at Marinette's face and he knew – that was the perfect place. She was delighted looking at tiny tables all over the café. They sat down at one of those little tables. Immediately, a waitress approached with a little, thin vase filled with water. For the rose.

"Just to keep it alive…" she whispered and winked to them.

They looked at each other in embarrassment. They had to get used to the fact that people around them would treat them as a couple. They were a couple, after all! But until now it had been something their personal… Only Marinette's parents knew. And Master Fu. Any interest of strangers was still embarrassing them.

Marinette put the rose in the vase with a shaking hand. Adrien instinctively caught the vase before it fell over.

"All me…" Marinette muttered. "I'm so clumsy…"

"Not at all." He denied, slipping his hand from the vase onto her hand. He clasped their hands. She looked at him gratefully. They gazed at each other eyes. The moment was ruined by the waitress who came back to their table and asked:

"Would you like to order?"

"Uhm…" Adrien released Marinette's hand and took a menu.

"I'd like to take a large hot chocolate." Marinette ordered.

"I'll take a large cinnamon chocolate." Adrien decided quickly.

"Anything to eat?" the waitress asked.

"I… I think I'll take a lemon tarte." Marinette whispered.

"Crème brûlée for me." Adrien added.

The waitress left, and they looked at each other embarrassed again. Suddenly, both felt very uncomfortable. They both dropped their heads watching their hands.

"So… We can tick off the first point on to-do list…" Marinette said, realizing that their sudden silence was harder to bear for Adrien than for her.

"What do you mean?" He asked and looked at her.

"We've ordered. You know… I… I don't know too much about dates…" she confessed with embarrassment.

"Me neither… Can you imagine?" he laughed.

"Yeah, right. You think I'll believe in that?" she murmured.

"I'm serious, Marinette. I didn't think it would be so stressful…"

"You're stressed?" she was surprised.

"A bit… Yes…" he confessed, somehow happy that his girlfriend was also his best friend and he could be honest with her without pretending. "You don't?"

"You know…" she smiled. "Comparing to myself from two days ago, when I was unable to talk to you normally, now I'm quite easy-going…"

"For me it's the opposite… And I have a feeling that I should meet your expectations. That everything must be perfect."

"Doesn't have to." She replied quickly, holding out her hand to him. His hand met hers immediately. "I mean… I want to say that it _is_ perfect anyway. And besides, I don't want you to think that I have any expectations. I mean… You don't have to… Uhm… Eh. I don't know how to say it…" she sighed embarrassed, but looking at his tense face, she added: "I don't want you to think about me, or rather about us, like about the next project undertaken by the gild boy, Adrien Agreste. Do you understand what I mean?" she asked with a hope.

"N-not really…" he stuttered. "What do you mean by saying _'the project'_?"

"Oh, Adrien… Don't you feel that everyone around you expects that you'll do everything on the highest level? And you do your best to meet their expectations. But I don't want you to think that way about our… our…" she stammered. She wasn't ready to call it _"a relationship"_. Wasn't too early for that?

"Our relationship?" he finished the sentence with a smile.

"Yes…" she blushed.

"You haven't got used to that yet?"

"Well, it's a bit new for me. Isn't it too early to call it a relationship?"

"The day before yesterday I proposed to you, yesterday I was kissing you on the roof of the church. I think we can definitely call it a relationship." He grinned.

"You know, when you say it, everything is so clear and natural…"

"Isn't it?"

"I still can't believe that you… you want to date me…"

"Still?" he smiled with disbelief.

"Of course, when we are together, I have no problems with that! But when you're gone, I start thinking of…"

"Of what?"

"You know…"

"No, I don't."

"Sometimes I lose self-confidence. And bit gloomy thoughts get me."

"Sometimes?" Marinette's purse squeaked quietly.

"Tikki, you promised to be quiet!"

"Sorry, Marinette…" Tikki whispered.

"Sorry for that." Marinette muttered. "I had to take her with me, but she promised not to interrupt."

"Well, I have a company as well." Adrien smiled, reminding her that both had the reason to keep their kwamis close to them.

"I hope that the evening will be peaceful." She sighed.

"My dad is out of the city, so it is quite possible." Adrien muttered.

Marinette looked at him in astonishment. Had he just joked about the fact that his father might be, or rather most likely _was_ Hawkmoth?


	16. There will be consequences

" **There will be consequences"**

The waitress came back with their order. She placed cups, plates and napkins on the tiny table. There was no room for their hands anymore, so they had to let them go. Adrien looked at Marinette with a smile, and she smiled back at him. Both took their cups of hot chocolate.

"Mhmmm…" Marinette murmured, taking a sip. "Delicious. I love chocolate!"

"I'm still learning something new about you." Adrien smiled.

"Like what?"

"That you like plain chocolate."

"Because it's the best! Pure perfection. Why should I ruin that?"

"My cinnamon chocolate is much better." He shook his head.

"I don't think so."

"So, try it!" he gave her his cup. "And admit that you were wrong."

She took a sip and gave him back his cup with a smile.

"Well, I can admit that…" she began, observing a grin appearing on Adrien's face. "…that my chocolate is way much better."

"I have to try it!" he reached for her cup. He took a sip and looked at her in amazement. "Wow, you still surprise me, Bugaboo…" he confessed.

"Come on, say it, Cat."

"I was wrong. Your chocolate is better, My Lady." He admitted solemnly. "You were absolutely right. You should never spoil the perfection."

"It is said: leave well alone." She smiled. "And I prefer simple things."

"From today on I'm going to start learning that from you." He promised.

They looked at each other amused. They had already forgotten about the awkwardness from a few minutes ago. Now they had a really good time, treating each other to their desserts and drinking Marinette's chocolate.

"When we're sitting here I feel like I didn't want to leave." Adrien confessed.

"We'll have to leave soon." She whispered. "Tomorrow we have to go to school, remember?"

"Oh, right… School…" he sighed. "I wish we could play truant tomorrow."

"Adrien, we have already had a lot of backlog because of our alternative duties." Marinette replied reasonably, as always. "My parents grounded me once already."

"Oh…" Adrien stammered.

"What?"

"I've just realised that usually we both are busy during the akuma attack."

"Yep." She nodded. "And not usually, but always…"

"Until now nobody has figured out that we disappear at the same time. But now, everyone will be watching us."

"Why would they watch us?" Marinette exclaimed.

"Well… Don't you think that they will be interested that we're a couple?"

"Oh, God… You're right!" she moaned embarrassed. "Oh dear, ooooh… What have I done?!" she began to panic.

"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien tried to call her to order. "Remember that you're not alone with it. I'm always by your side."

"God…" she didn't listen to him. "They will stare at us all day. They will make fun of us. They will be pointing at us…"

"Marinette…" he sighed, waiting for the end of her panic attack. "Are you ashamed of me?" he asked with a smile, reminding her yesterday excuses.

"No! Not at all!" she denied and added quickly: "Wait, we've already had this conversation…"

"I know." He grinned.

"I still have a lot to learn…" she shook her head. "And get used to it… What was I thinking when I fell in love with the most popular boy in the city!"

"Well, I don't complain. I'm happy that you fell in love with him. I mean: me!"

They stared at each other again. And again, the moment was ruined by the waitress who approached with annoying _"Do you want anything else?"_

"Can I have a bill?" Adrien asked.

Marinette became sad. She didn't want their date to be over so soon.

"Hey, Princess?" Adrien immediately felt that her mood had changed.

"Mhm?"

"Don't be so sad. I'm not going to walk you home directly." He answered the question that hadn't been asked. She didn't have to. That was amazing how well they understood each other.

"Well, you'll have to soon."

"We have time till midnight, remember?" he reminded what her father had told them about the hour of coming back home.


	17. Jealous of the alter-ego

" **Jealous of alter-ego"**

After paying the bill they had to leave. They both wanted to extend this evening. But time was running against their will. Adrien helped Marinette to put on the jacket. This little gesture made her feel happier and more important to him than minutes before. He looked as if it was completely natural for him. Then he took the rose and handed it to her with a smile. He was every inch a gentleman.

"You're so courteous. The best in the city." She joked when he opened the door before her.

"Yep. The best in the city!" he smiled, taking her hand. "Remember that. In case you change your mind and start looking for some…"

"I won't." she stopped him, putting the rose to his lips. In that moment she realised that he was still afraid of being abandoned.

"Oh, right! You promised me something." He laughed with relief.

"What did I promise?" She asked in amazement.

"Something that was related to holding hands…" he whispered in her ear, and she blushed immediately. Oh, right… Holding hands after fifteen years of marriage, like her parents. "Well, that 'something'" he confirmed, properly interpreting her blush. And then he kissed her.

"So… Today you're not going to kiss me on roofs of the Parisian cathedrals?" she joked after their kiss.

"Today I'm going to kiss you standing on the ground." He smiled. "Wait a second… You mean that you liked that kiss? On the rooftop?"

"Well… It had its charm…" she replied quietly and walked away.

"You said you didn't feel any difference!" he followed her.

"Oh, Adrien." She stopped and looked at him. "I didn't feel any difference in kissing. It's rather about… uhm… entourage…"

"Entourage?" he repeated in astonishment. "You surprise me, Bugaboo."

"You surprised me too…" she whispered, blushing.

"The way you're saying that… makes me feel… jealous…" Adrien muttered.

"Of alter-ego?" Marinette laughed.

"Yeah… It's weird…"

"I know that feeling."

"You were jealous of Ladybug?"

"Oh, many times!" she confessed. "I knew you loved her. And I knew there was no chance that you noticed me."

"And yet I noticed. Remember, I didn't know at that moment that you were a competitor for yourself!"

"But I felt like I was. I couldn't understand that. It was so easy for you to understand that Cat Noir is you. It took me much more time to understand that if someone else was Ladybug, she would be completely different. Ladybug is what she is because of the fact that's me. Wait… I don't understand what I've just said…"

"You've said a pretty wise thing. I understand perfectly what you meant."

"I'm sure you do. You taught me that."

"So…" he hesitated. "So, you like some Cat Noir's ideas?"

"Some…" she admitted with a smile. "This one with the Notre Dame Cathedral even very much… And that one when you came to talk, last Friday. And some more in times when you mainly irritated me as Cat Noir."

"Mhmmm…" he murmured contented.

"What?"

"I think you like that half of me more and more."

"I've started to see something very interesting in that half of you."

"What's that?"

"Well…" she stuttered, embarrassed. "As Adrien… Well… How to say it…"

"Please, don't tell me that you don't like me as Adrien anymore and you're in love with Cat Noir."

"No, it's not that!" she denied immediately. "I mean… er…"

"Come on, Princess. Say it." He used her words from an hour ago.

"I've told you that already. As Adrien you're terribly worried that everything must be done perfectly. To please everyone. To meet their sick expectations. And as Cat Noir… You're free from that pressure. Don't you feel the difference?"

He stared at her in amazement. She just summed up everything in a few words. And she was OK with that. What a wonderful girl she was! And she was his girlfriend.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too, Adrien." She hugged him. "Now, let's find a nice rooftop."

"Are you serious?" he laughed.

"Of course, I'm not." She denied. "We can't risk that someone will see us. Oh, God! Imagine it was Alya! We would be done."

"But think about her ladyblog. She would gain tones of new fans." He joked.

"That's the reason we should be extra careful! I've already noticed that I've called you 'Kitty' and you've just called me 'Bugaboo'" she became serious. "I'm afraid that I'll blurt it out. You know that I can't lie. What if she starts talking about Cat Noir? And I'll blush or blurt out that I love him?"

"You have to change the subject before you say too much." Adrien advised with a smile. She was so cute when she started panicking.

"Ha-ha. Very funny." She muttered. "It's easy for you…"

"Not at all, Marinette. Nino's known that I'm in love with Ladybug since forever. So? You think he won't be curious if I'm over her? Or he'll catch me staring at you after transformation? Your plan for misleading Hawkmoth is getting more and more difficult."

"Now, I start thinking about giving back our miraculous to Master Fu…" Marinette sighed.

"Don't say that! We'll make it." He hugged her. "We're superheroes, aren't we?"

"Right, we're super…" she smiled.

"Let's go." Adrien took Marinette's hand. "I'm afraid they could already arrive."

"Who?"

"Well, my bodyguard and Nathalie."

"You've told them?" she asked with a hope.

"I told Nathalie." Adrien admitted. "You know, I had to ask formally for permission for going out. So, I told her…"

"Oh, Adrien… I'm so sorry for you…"

"You'll get used to that. I have."

"So, your dad knows too?"

"He left yesterday. I asked Nathalie not to tell him. I wouldn't like her to be involved in this. This is between me and my dad. I have to talk to him in person. You know, like father and son."

"Do you think that she'll respect your request and not tell your dad?"

"We'll see it soon. When he comes back."

"Are you afraid of that?"

"I don't know him very well." He sighed. "I don't even know how he will react. Never mind. We'll see…"

Suddenly he slowed down. There was a car parked in front of Marinette's parents' bakery. _The_ car.

"Now they will push you in the car and we won't even say goodbye to each other." Marinette joked and Adrien laughed.

"You suspect Nathalie of such gangster activities?"

"Well, they aren't too subtle…" she admitted wryly. "Are we going to have a goodbye kiss in front of them or of my parents?"

"I prefer your parents."

"Yeah, right…" she wasn't amused with his joke.

They approached the car. The window opened silently.

"Adrien, I'd like to inform you that it's after 10 p.m." Nathalie said coldly, looking at Marinette without any emotions on her face.

"Give us five minutes, ok?" Adrien asked.

"Fine. But five minutes." She agreed, but her face twitched, and a half-smile appeared for a second.

"What a strange person…" Marinette murmured when the car disappeared behind the corner.

"You'll like her. Just give her a chance."

"You're lucky that you're talking to someone who likes people." She joked. "So, there's hope."

"We have to say goodbye." He sighed.

"I know."

"They will be back soon. I won't be surprised if it's exactly in five minutes. As for a second."

"So, stop wasting your time, Adrien Agreste." She smiled coquettishly and stood on tiptoes to kiss him goodbye.


	18. Monday morning

" **Monday morning"**

On Monday morning Adrien was going to school with a grin on his face. He couldn't wait to see Marinette. Last weekend had been great! No, no great – it was perfect! They spent together the whole Saturday and some time on Sunday. Yeah, Sunday… They finally managed to go out for a real date. Of course, Marinette's parents thought that the first date had been on Saturday. Well… It was hard to call the visit at Master Fu as "a date". However, when he analysed that again, coming back from that visit looked almost like a date – when he finally kissed Ladybug and his dream came true. Adrien couldn't decide if he felt overwhelming happiness or… disappointment… Because the kiss with Ladybug – although it fulfilled his deepest dreams – wasn't as magical as the kiss with Marinette. Well… Weird… That was the same person! But Adrien concluded that he preferred the touch of her hand not covered by the magical Ladybug's costume. And he liked watching her blush. And counting her freckles on her face while Ladybug's face was hidden behind the mask.

He sighed and went out of the car.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Chloe Bourgeois rushed at him with her _"Adriekiiins!"_

He smiled to himself and slid her hand from his arm with one firm motion. Poor Chloe. She didn't know yet. He hoped she wouldn't be attacked by an akuma when she found out. Today, everyone would find out.

Adrien looked around for Marinette.

She was sitting by the wall. Her lips twitched in a smile. That meant she'd noticed Chloe's welcome. And probably his answer. Their eyes met across the courtyard. Such things could happen only when you were in love.

Adrien ignored Chloe and moved toward Marinette.

There was a sketchbook on his girlfriend's knees. Marinette closed it quickly, as she caught him looking at it, and reached her backpack to hide the sketchbook from her boyfriend.

"What do you have there?" he asked curiously, pointing to the sketchbook.

"Uh… No-nothing…" she stammered, embarrassed as she used to be before last Friday.

He sat down on the floor next to her.

"Come on! Show it!" he smiled with the Cat Noir's grin. She looked at him sideways. This smile was so cute. Why had she hated it so much earlier?

"No way." She answered. "Stupid sketches…"

"I don't believe you. I've already seen your projects. Come on!" he leaned over her to reach her backpack. He took the sketchbook, and by the way kissed her cheek. She stopped defending, embarrassed by the fact that half of the school was already watching them. Adrien pretended that he didn't noticed anything unusual. He focused on Marinette's sketchbook. He opened it on the last painted page and… he became speechless…

"Uhm…" he grunted embarrassed, staring at the design of… a wedding dress…

"I've told you it's stupid!" She reached for her sketchbook. She was blushed.

"Don't!" he kept the picture. "Let me look. It's beautiful." He brought the design closer to his eyes to look at the details.

"It's all your fault!" she murmured.

"I hope so!"

"You started that!" she explained. "You proposed."

"And you said 'yes'." He reminded her with a smile and then he looked at the picture again. "I must admit. It's beautiful. You'll look phenomenal in it."

He grinned and leaned to kiss her.

"Will anyone tell me what's going on here?!" they heard suddenly above their heads.


	19. Everybody knows

" **Everybody knows"**

They both looked up and saw Alya standing by them. Adrien hid the sketchbook behind, just in case. Then he took Marinette's hand and they stood up with a guilty look like someone caught red-handed.

"Oh, Alya…" Marinette laughed nervously. "I didn't notice you."

"I can see that." Her friend answered wryly. "Should I figure it out by myself, or you'll tell me?"

"Well… Do you need any explanation?" Adrien asked, smiling innocently.

"Ha-ha. Nope." Alya grinned. „Because I've already known everything. But I wanted to see your face, Adrien. Believe me, it was worth to see it."

"But…" Adrien stammered. "How?"

"Oh, it's obvious! Marinette called me on Saturday morning and told me everything!"

"Everything?" Adrien repeated and looked at Marinette with a silent question in his eyes.

"Well… Almost everything…" Marinette whispered in an apologetic tone.

"You haven't mentioned anything about that…" Adrien muttered and looked at her in a disapproval. "You've started departing from the truth lately."

"Oh, Adrien! We had more important things on our hands." Marinette tried to explain.

"I'm sure you did!" Alya laughed meaningfully.

"No, nothing like that…" Marinette stammered, but gave up. Alya would understand that wrong anyway.

"There you are!" Nino interrupted, finally finding them in the corner. "There are some gossips… O-oh… I can see they're not so baseless…" he added, seeing Marinette and Adrien clutching their hands. He looked at Alya.

"It turns out that someone finally saw the light and someone else finally confessed something to someone." Alya summed up.

"Alya!" Marinette exclaimed, embarrassed.

"I thought you're over that, if you allow him to kiss you in front of everybody…"

"I… I forgot about those people…" Marinette whispered.

"Me too…" Adrien added also blushed.

"Well, it's a bit too late now…" Alya muttered. "You'll be the news of the day. Chloe must have her first heart attack, I guess."

"She's calling her daddy." Nino said with a smile. "I have no idea what she wants to gain. Expulsion of Marinette from Paris?" he joked.

"She had to find out someday." Adrien murmured. "What bothers me more is that my father will get known from someone before I talk to him."

"You haven't told him yet?" Marinette sighed with reproach.

"I haven't seen him since Friday. I told you yesterday that he had left in business. I'm not sure if he's already come back home. But I'd like to talk to my dad before Chloe's father talks to him. Otherwise I'll be dead before afternoon…" Adrien said with fear in his eyes.

"Don't panic, dude!" Nino patted him on the back. "By the way, congrats. Alya and I thought that you would never get together."

"It was a bit more complicated…" Adrien paused, ruffling his hair. "Actually, I'm glad that… how did you call it, Alya? That I finally saw the light."

"Something like that…" Alya murmured, winking to Marinette.

Suddenly, the bell rang for the lesson. All students moved toward their classrooms. When Chloe was passing the corner, she looked at Marinette with narrowed eyes and pursed her lips.

"Don't think that you'll get away with it, Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" she drawled. "And you, Adriekins… I'll never ever forgive you!"

"Oh, Chloe… Such envy? It's so unlike you!" Alya commented loudly, causing peals of laughter of most of students around.

"U-uh!" Chloe shouted irritably and moved away stamping her feet.

Alya and Nino followed her to separate her from Adrien and Marinette, just in case. Marinette waited till more people passed them to create longer distance to Chloe and she was just to follow her colleagues when Adrien stopped her clenching her hand.

"What's up?" she asked. "We really have to go to the class."

"It won't be the first time we're late." He smiled.

"But it will be the first time it's our fault." She replied but didn't move waiting for the reason they stayed.

"Will you tell me what you said to Alya on Saturday?" he asked, pulling her closer.

"You don't mind?" she asked quietly and gazed into his eyes. "I had to tell her. She wouldn't forgive me if Chloe got known before her! She had been so supportive to me for the whole year! And besides, I was so happy… I needed to share it with her!"

"The whole year?" he was surprised. "I'm wondering how I couldn't notice that? I must have been blind."

"It's good you're not anymore." Marinette smiled and hugged him. "Now, let's go for the classes. If your dad comes back, we'll have problem with akumatised Chloe. And more lessons to catch up."

"Very funny, Marinette. Very funny…" he kissed her cheek and followed her to the classroom.


	20. Daytime nightmare

" **Daytime nightmare"**

There was so noisy in the classroom, that they knew the teacher hadn't come yet. However, all conversations died immediately, when Adrien and Marinette appeared at the door. The "news-of-the-day" pair felt uncomfortably, but well… They expected it would look like that. After all, Adrien was the most popular boy at school. It was obvious that if he finally found a girlfriend, it would be the news that everyone would talk about.

Marinette and Adrien felt even more embarrassed when they noticed that Alya and Nino were sitting together and left the first desk for them.

"Don't you think you go too far?" Adrien asked.

"Nope, dude." Nino answered with a grin on his face.

"We've wanted to sit together for months." Alya added. "But… It was impossible because of _someone's_ behaviour." She looked meaningfully at Marinette.

"What do you mean?" Marinette frowned.

"How do you think?" Alya answered with a question and winked. "Imagine that you had to sit next to Adrien, let's say… last week. What sounds would you utter?"

"Alya, Alya…" Adrien muttered in disapproval. "That's not nice…"

"No, Adrien." Marinette cut in. "She's right. If they sat together last week, or earlier, I would be probably so embarrassed that I wouldn't say even a word to you. Or I would start giggling or stuttering, as usual, or even worse than usual…"

Adrien smiled lightly and hugged her. She was so cute when she was embarrassed.

"Exactly." Alya confirmed. "But today you're both finally ready to sit together and let me sit with Nino."

"So… you're not so noble-minded as we thought." Adrien summed-up with a half-smile and sat at the desk.

Marinette sat next to him, still embarrassed by the whole situation. She heard an annoyed snort from her right side. Chloe. She pretended she didn't want to have anything in common with them, but at the same time she was observing them sideways.

At last the teacher came in, apologised for being late, looked in surprise at some changes in two first desks, and then came to the logical conclusion that youth ruled its own rights, and finally began the lesson.

Marinette felt like in a dream all day. But she wasn't sure if it was a nice dream or a nightmare. She never liked to be in the centre of attention, and that day she and Adrien couldn't find even five minutes for each other, because there was always someone who approached them, talked to them, joked or congratulated. They couldn't get rid of all those people.

Alya and Nino were the worst. They wanted to know all details about Friday, the weekend dates and plans. Marinette wanted to spend some time with Adrien and talk to him about all that had happened today at school. The scale of interest exceeded all their expectations and they needed to deal with it somehow.

"Do you have any plans for this afternoon?" Alya asked after the last lesson.

Marinette and Adrien looked at each other very quickly. They hadn't a chance to plan anything, because in the morning they were focused on the sketchbook, then they dealt with all people fascinated with them.

"I hope to introduce Marinette to my father today." Adrien said the first thing that came into his mind. Marinette stared at him frightened.

"But he's already known her." Alya replied. "You know… during the contest."

"But this time I'm going to introduce him my girlfriend. That might be… uhm… quite stressful. For both of us." Adrien muttered and clenched Marinette's hand.

"You worry that your father will mind?" Nino asked.

"Even if, that won't change anything." Adrien said firmly.

"Good luck, dude." Nino patted him on the back. "I hope we'll see you alive tomorrow…"

"Very funny…" Adrien wasn't amused with that joke.

"Good luck, girl." Alya whispered to Marinette and walked away with Nino.

"Seriously? Are you going to introduce me to your father today?" Marinette asked in a faint voice. "Or was it only an excuse to get rid of them?" she added with a hope.

"I'd like to get over with it. I'm worried too much that Chloe will ask her father to talk to mine. I prefer him to get known from me. Unless he's already known… From Nathalie…"

"I'm afraid that your dad will be disappointed with your choice." Marinette whispered sadly.

"Shh… He won't be. He's not so bad."

"Except he's been terrorising Paris for a year…" she mumbled.

"Marinette…" Adrien sighed. "It's not easy for me."

"I know. I'm sorry…" she smiled warmly at him. "I'll try to stop joking. Are we going?" she took his hand.

"By car." He answered with a half-smile. "Have you forgotten I have a driver-bodyguard?"

"Yeah… My poor boy from a gilded cage…"

"Let's do it." Adrien sighed and clenched her hand, as if it added him courage.

The bodyguard didn't even blink when he saw Adrien with his girlfriend. He ignored their holding hands during a drive home, as well. Adrien felt like kissing Marinette, because they hadn't had a chance to do that for all day at school. After the weekend full of such occasions that was a torture for him. Yet, he felt self-conscious with a driver in the car. And he knew that Marinette felt the same.


	21. Meeting Gabriel

" **Meeting Gabriel"**

They reached Adrien's home – as Marinette confessed to herself – definitely too soon. If Gabriel Agreste came back from his business trip, it would be over within a few minutes. She felt like her stomach did a triple somersault. Had Adrien felt the same before "the serious talk" with her parents? Nah… Her parents were always nice and friendly to him. And Gabriel Agreste was like an iceberg. Like Elsa from _"Frozen"_ but without ability to love. No chance to melt the ice in his heart.

Adrien and Marinette walked in together holding their hands. Gabriel Agreste was standing on the stairs in front of the entrance. He was observing them in silence. Marinette reminded herself the day when she had brought back the spell book. What a terrifying experience! And now, she was going to experience something even worse. What if Gabriel wanted to humiliate her in front of his son?

"Good afternoon, son." Gabriel welcomed them coldly. "As I can see, you invited your colleague. Are you going to do homework together?"

"Dad… Uhm… I would like to introduce Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"I've known her already, Adrien. I think she won the contest for the bowler design you were wearing in our last campaign."

"Yes. But…"

"And very recently she visited us, or rather me, to bring back something lost." he added with a smile, but it wasn't a nice smile. Marinette had an impression that it was kind of evil… Did it mean that Adrien's father saw them through?

"Marinette told me that she had brought the book back." Adrien replied calmly. "The thing is that… Uhm. I'd like to tell you that Marinette is my girlfriend now."

"Your girlfriend?" Gabriel was surprised. "I thought you were in love with Ladybug."

"Dad!" Adrien exclaimed blushing.

"Really?" Marinette decided to take the opportunity and acted as betrayed or disappointed girlfriend.

"No, Marinette." Adrien joined the play. "It's not what you're thinking. Don't listen what my dad's saying. He must have mixed something up."

"Yes, yes. Apparently, I must have mixed something up…" Gabriel smiled slyly.

Marinette realised that he could see their plan through. They didn't convince him. What should she do now? A scene of jealousy? Nope, it wasn't her style. It would be more like her to leave and spend the rest of her life in the bedroom, preferably under a blanket.

"No, it's OK, Adrien." She replied quietly. "Really. You know… I knew it was too perfect to be real. I think… I'd better go."

"No! Marinette, please. Don't go!"

But she left anyway. Adrien looked at his father with reproach and said:

"What have you done, dad?"

"I had the best intentions…" Gabriel muttered, observing Adrien run after his girlfriend.

Marinette stopped at the gate. She knew Adrien would follow her. They had to play their roles to the end, and the gate was the best stage to do it. There were so many cameras and microphones that Gabriel Agreste would have the best picture and sound to eavesdrop their talk.

"Marinette, wait!"

"You didn't have to follow me." She replied. "I… I'll be OK…"

"Oh, Marinette. How can I convince you that my father was wrong?"

"How can I compete with someone like Ladybug?" she asked, trying to sound as hopeless as she could.

"Why should you compete with her? I chose _you_. I love _you_ , not Ladybug."

"But… But your dad said…"

"Oh, come on. A half of teenagers in Paris love Ladybug. My dad probably thinks that I must love her too. Well, maybe I said something like that once or twice…"

"You see?!" she exclaimed.

"I've already explained that to you, Marinette. And I thought I convinced you."

"I don't know why it bothers me so much now. Maybe because your father said that? Or maybe he just reminded me that… that I don't deserve you. Maybe he'd prefer Ladybug to be your girlfriend?"

"I had no idea that you have a Ladybug complex…" He grinned.

"Oh… she's so… so wonderful. And I'm worse than ordinary… I'm clumsy. I always say something wrong. If I care a lot about something, I'll mess it up, for sure."

"No, you're wrong." He denied putting his arm around her. "Remember when Chloe took your design of a bowler? You definitely knew how to prove it was your idea. I didn't notice you were clumsy then. You even convinced my father!"

"That was something completely different!"

"No, Marinette. That was you. All of you. Let's go!" he led her back home. "I'm sure you can convince my dad again about how exceptional and wonderful you are." He added kissing her cheek.


	22. The first half of the plan

" **The first half of the plan"**

Gabriel Agreste stood exactly in the same place where he had been when they left the lobby. Marinette was pretty sure that he had seen and heard their talk at the gate. How did he manage to move so quickly? Or maybe he had a mobile monitoring device hidden somewhere around him?

"As I can see, you have a gift of persuasion, my son." Gabriel said slowly.

"Dad…" Adrien sighed.

"All right, all right…" Gabriel smiled suddenly, and this time it was a quite warm smile. Adrien and Marinette looked at each other a bit surprised. Adrien's father looked like someone completely different with that smile. "I'm just teasing you. Come in, young lady. I think that we should talk in more comfortable place."

After those words Gabriel led them to the living room.

Marinette felt as if she was entering a lion's den. And she wondered whether she'd leave it alive after the meeting with Adrien's father. Fortunately, Adrien was by her side – like her own lucky charm – making her more self-confident. She clutched his hand for courage.

They went into the sophisticated living room. Sophisticated and cold. Decorated in black and white. Poor Adrien… He had to grow up in such unfriendly house! Marinette suppressed a sigh of empathy.

They all sat down – Gabriel Agreste in a black armchair, Adrien and Marinette on a white couch. She hid a smile after realising the double meaning of their choices.

"So… You're a couple." Gabriel said, breaking the silence.

"Yes, father." Adrien answered looking at his face.

"Will it be tactless if I ask how it happened?"

"Dad!" Adrien exclaimed indignantly.

"Son. I'm very interested in it."

"Don't you think it's a little prying?" Adrien asked.

"Adrien…" Marinette whispered soothingly. "Don't be surprised. We're turning in different worlds. It may look a bit… well… strange that there's anything we have in common."

"But we have a lot in common!" he replied heartily.

"I know!" she laughed. "But it doesn't have to be so obvious for your father, does it?"

Adrien gazed at his girlfriend in astonishment. Not only her words, but also her calmness surprised him. Wasn't she afraid of his father? She smiled at him as if she heard that question. And then she looked at their hands joined together on the couch. Yes, Adrien was her lucky charm. She didn't have to be afraid of anything.

"You're a very reasonable young lady, Marinette." Gabriel Agreste said cautiously.

"Oh, thank you for the compliment."

"Girls probably prefer other compliments." He commented.

"Dad!" Adrien moaned. Could this conversation be more awkward?

"You hide many talents, miss Dupain-Cheng. Now, I'm not surprised anymore that my son is crazy about you."

Marinette blushed. A thought crossed her mind that Gabriel had used those words _"you hide"_ for a reason – because he still suspected her of being Ladybug. She decided not to analyse that issue now. She preferred to focus on talk to Adrien's father.

"Uhm… Thank you." She stammered, embarrassed.

"I hope you'll have a good influence on Adrien." Gabriel continued. "Sometimes he seems to be emotionally unstable a little bit. You may give him… well… some stability and calm down."

"Dad…" Adrien looked as if he wanted to die.

Marinette thought that it was so good that Gabriel Agreste hadn't seen her behaviour in front of his son for the last year. That would probably change his opinion on her diametrically.

"I wonder how it happened that such a rational girl interested in such an unreasonable boy as my son."

"I don't know why you think Adrien is unreasonable." Marinette clenched her hand on Adrien's hand giving him a sign to stay calm and quiet. She was so close to lose patience, because she had an impression that Gabriel was playing cat and mouse with them. Realising that fact gave her an extra strength to express her opinion – like it had helped her to prove she had designed the bowler last year. "Adrien is very sensitive, he always thinks about the others, he helps people in need. He's supported me so many times… Always when I needed."

"Really?" Gabriel spotted, folding his hands so that only tips of his fingers met. He finally found something interesting in this conversation. Marinette felt this and she immediately began to be on her guard. "And can you tell me, when my son showed you so much empathy?"

"Oh, there were so many occasions." She replied firmly. "Once he came to help me to talk to my uncle, who spoke Chinese only. Another time he saved me from the attack of an evil robot. We were in the park then… And it seemed like that robot was hunting for me. Oh, and he lent me an umbrella once…" she sighed dreamy.

Adrien stared at Marinette in amazement. She was brilliant! And he was so grateful for all these words about him! Especially said to his father.

"He also persuaded me to take part in the bowler competition." She added after a while. "I wouldn't join it by myself… because… I'm a bit shy… And I'm not courageous."

"I didn't notice you were shy, young lady. You express your opinion very firmly. That's unusual for girls at your age. I had already noticed that during the presentation of your bowler design." Gabriel Agreste replied.

"I'm surprised you remember me." Marinette confessed.

"Your design was quite unique. As well as your bearing." He smiled inscrutably.

"Oh, yes… Well…" she hesitated, more and more embarrassed. "But you understand, I had to do something. No designer will allow to steal their work."

"You're right." Gabriel nodded approvingly. "You're a very mature artist, I must say. Do you have any more projects? I'd like to see them."

"Oh!" Marinette blushed. One of her dreams had just come true – the fashion designer she had been admiring for years wanted to look at her projects! She almost reached for her sketchbook but remembered her latest design. No, she couldn't show her own wedding dress at the first official meeting with a potential future father-in-law!

"Let me give you a piece of advice. Always carry a notebook, sketchbook or just a few blank pieces of paper. You never know when inspiration will meet you."

"Oh, thank you. Actually, I don't part with a sketchbook. But… today… I've been a bit distracted."

"Well, I understand that." Gabriel smiled almost warmly at her. "Now, would you excuse me? My duties call. Adrien! Nathalie will come in a minute. We need to introduce your girlfriend with your schedule." After those words he turned to Marinette. "As a reasonable girl you _do_ realise that your dating can't disrupt Adrien's schedule, don't you?"

"Dad, please…" Adrien moaned, feeling more and more embarrassed.

"Of course, I do." Marinette whispered at the same time.

After Gabriel left, they looked at each other uncertainly. Adrien reached out to Marinette. Their fingers met. They both felt self-conscious, as if a hidden camera was still recording their every move.

"I think I know why you prefer coming to my house." Marinette smiled shyly and took a step towards him.

"Uhm…" he muttered with a smile, also taking a step towards her and braiding their fingers. "You must know that it may be nice also in my place. Not always it's so official."

"Mhm… A gilded cage…" she murmured hidden in his shirt. "So, it seems that you'll put me in your schedule." She joked.

"Probably on Thursdays between fencing and Chinese."

"But it's only an hour and a half!" she blurted.

"How do you know that?!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"Let's say that your schedule hasn't been a secret for me for too long." She smiled meaningful, and he laughed in response embracing her tightly.

"You still surprise me!" he admitted, pulling her closer. Then he leaned and whispered in her ear so quietly that she barely heard him: "Do you think we've convinced him?"

She looked up and smiled at him. And he had to kiss her.

They both knew that the second part of Ladybug's plan was still before them. They had to convince Hawkmoth that there's nothing between Ladybug and Cat Noir…


	23. Adrien's girlfriend

" **Adrien's girlfriend"**

After the wonderful weekend and the eventful Monday Marinette thought that it would be nice to have one calmer day. Later events clearly indicated that her good luck was limited. Apparently, all supplies were spent on the happy end of her love story. And after the happy end, a real life began. A difficult real life of a superheroine.

She stretched on the bed and sighed dreamily. Yesterday she had managed to spend most of the afternoon with Adrien before Nathalie took him for some photo shooting. Although they should do their homework, well… they needed to catch up the time wasted for the school, lessons and stressful conversation with Adrien's father. Especially that conversation needed to be compensated somehow. For Marinette it was still surprising that Adrien admired her so much. And after her talk with his father his admiration even grew.

"Aawww…" Marinette sighed and blushed when she remembered some yesterday words heard from Adrien.

"Marinette… I'd advise you to hurry up…" Tikki interrupted. "Otherwise _your_ parents will lock _you_ in a gilded cage. I mean they'll ground you as they already did once, remember? You promised that your dating wouldn't affect your grades."

"Oh, Tikki…" Marinette sighed. "After all, we finally did our homework yesterday!"

"Well… I'm not so sure if you applied yourself enough to this homework…" Tikki was uncompromising.

"I promise to be better next time. Oh, I hope everyone at school will behave normally today. I wouldn't like to feel like an animal in the zoo again…"

"I'd be worried rather about Hawkmoth… Yesterday he gave you some time, but I have bad feelings about today, Marinette…"

"Don't say a word, Tikki!" Marinette jumped out of the bed immediately.

Within a few minutes she was ready. Just a quick breakfast and she could run to school. Or rather fly to meet Adrien. She should meet him in a minute.

However, not Adrien but Victor was the first person she met at school that day. She almost ran into him at the school gate. He stood nonchalantly leaning against the door-frame, wearing sunglasses and smiling at her.

"Good morning, beautiful!" he greeted her, taking off his sunglasses then stuck them in his hair.

"Oh, Victor… Hi…" she replied a bit embarrassed.

"How was your last day without me? Did you miss me?" he asked with a grin on his face.

Marinette barely stifled a snort. That wouldn't be nice. Yet, she couldn't resist from comparing Victor to Cat Noir. Similar words said by Cat Noir would only make her smile now. And kiss him.

"Yesterday was a quite nice day, Victor." She replied finally.

"Oh, really?" he was surprised.

"Yes. It was a very interesting day. Eventful, I would say…"

"I've heard rumours that you've been picked up by that popular model, Adrien Agreste." Victor said wryly.

"Oh, you know…" she laughed, suddenly embarrassed.

"It is said that there is a grain of truth in every rumour." Marinette heard suddenly Adrien's voice just behind her and then she felt his arm embracing her waist. "In this particular one everything is true." Adrien grinned.

"Oh, that's you…" Victor gritted his teeth.

"Hi, Marinette…" Adrien whispered confidentially and kissed her on the cheek. "Are we going?"

She didn't say anything, just looked at Victor with an apologetic smile and went into the school courtyard with her boyfriend. She waited until they were far enough from Victor and asked Adrien with reproach:

"What the hell was that?! Did you mark the territory or what?!"

"What?" Adrien was surprised.

"What was the show for?!" she asked again.

"The show?"

"Oh, stop pretending! You've had to show him that I'm yours, haven't you?"

"Yep." He grinned, and all her anger disappeared. It wasn't good that he was so charming.

"You, boys…" she sighed in resignation. "I should be happy that you both didn't have a fight."

"I would fight for you to the last breath, My Lady!" he joked in his cat-style, and she laughed.

"You're annoying." She commented. "I have to think about how to punish you later."

Adrien ignored her words and kissed her. In front of all their colleagues. Then they went to the classroom leaving behind them Victor – a disappointed boy whose growing anger was a perfect target for the akuma…


	24. Prince Charming

" **Prince Charming"**

Marinette was amused during the lesson of French literature. Miss Bustier chose "Sleeping Beauty" by Charles Perrault for today, and Marinette found a lot of common between Princess and Adrien Agreste. Both were locked in inaccessible houses for years – with a small difference: Adrien's prison was surrounded not by trees or brambles but high walls and lots of security cameras. But still…

It was so difficult to stay calm and serious, that Adrien had to call her to order by nudging her slightly.

"Sorry…" she whispered.

Adrien gazed at her eyes full of tears from suppressed laugh.

"Focus." He advised her, although he had the problem with following his own advice.

"But this is a fairy tale about you, don't you see?" she replied trying not to laugh.

" _Marinette_!" Miss Bustier exclaimed with reproach. "Can you share your thoughts with us?"

"I'm so… sorry…" Marinette stammered.

"I'm waiting…" the teacher was more than serious.

"I mean… The Princess was a bit clumsy…" Marinette said the first thing that came into her mind. Now Adrien had problems with suppress laughing.

"Just like you, Marinette Clumsy-Cheng." Chloe hissed from the first desk.

"Chloe!" the teacher admonished her.

"But the Princess didn't have to know how to weave, did she?" Marinette continued, trying not to think about Chloe's words. "After all, she was a princess, she didn't have to have such skills."

"You are so far away to be a princess, that you have to work with handicrafts." Chloe commented again.

"What a pig..." Alya whispered to Nino.

"Chloe! One more comment and I'll send you to the school principal!" Miss Bustier issued an ultimatum, and Marinette thought that any other student would be already there. The rest of class looked like they thought the same.

Suddenly, the class door opened widely, and a strange man came in. He wore unusual clothing, as if taken out of the pages of the story of... "Sleeping Beauty"! A weird glow was surrounding him. At first glance Adrien and Marinette recognised the next victim of the akuma. They looked at each other in panic. They hadn't set up any constructive plan yesterday in case of such a situation. How could they both leave the class now, when all colleagues were observing their every move?

"Good morning, beautiful ladies!" the freak greeted. "I'm Prince Charming."

"Oh, come on! Seriously?!" Chloe exclaimed irritably, rolling her eyes. Thus, she caught the attention of the super-villain.

"Hello, beautiful!" Prince Charming came closer to her and blew something in her face. "I must admit that if my heart wasn't taken already, you would be my Princess!"

"Oh, my Prince Charming!" Chloe sighed, looking at him with dreamy eyes.

"We must run…" Adrien whispered to Marinette.

"Here you are, my Princess!" Prince Charming turned to Marinette. "Let me defeat this gallant who imposes on you and we'll be together forever!"

"You have to hide!" Alya hissed to Adrien and Marinette. "Now!"

"Fight, you pig!" Prince Charming shouted reaching for his sword.

But before he could get his weapon Adrien grabbed Marinette's hand and run from the classroom. Prince Charming was so surprised by their escape that he froze in a gesture of drawing a sword.

Alya didn't even try to hide her wild joy seeing his face and so clear inability to understand what had just happened. She recorded everything with her smartphone – Prince Charming's shocked face and Chloe hanging on him and begging for at least one kiss. Alya looked as if the heavens had opened over her head. She didn't want anything more in her life.


	25. The akuma fight

" **The akuma fight"**

A moment later Ladybug appeared in the window.

"You think it's nice to bother girls like that?" she asked provocatively, pointing at Chloe, who was hanging on Prince Charming.

"Where is your honour, you worthless aristocrat?!" Cat Noir added, coming in through the door. "You should know that if you charmed a girl, she becomes the lady of your heart forever."

"Oh, yes, yes!" Chloe nodded with enthusiasm. "Forever!"

"Today I'm interested only in two hearts, beautiful. None of them is yours. One of them will be struck by the Cupid arrow, the other… will be put to my sword." Prince Charming replied coldly. He got rid of Chloe and left the classroom chasing after Adrien and Marinette.

"Who's he looking for?" Ladybug asked loudly. She was aware that the victim of the akuma had left and there was no chance that Hawkmoth could hear her. But maybe he did?

"Ladybug!" Alya exclaimed. "He's looking for Marinette and Adrien. Save them! Oh, he must have been thinking about Adrien's heart. The one he's going to kill!"

"Do you have any idea where they can be?"

"I told them to hide, but I don't know where they could go." Alya replied.

"Cat Noir? Any ideas?" Ladybug turned to her partner. She played her role so well, that he needed a moment to overcome his amazement. A minute ago, they both had transformed in the locker room! Marinette knew about it very well. "Cat? Can you be useful a bit?"

"Uhm… Maybe they hid in a house of one of them?" he suggested.

"Does this Prince Charming know where they live?" Ladybug wondered. "Who is that, by the way?"

"I have no idea." Cat Noir shrugged.

"Never mind. Let's check their homes. We have no time to lose!"

And superheroes left the classroom.

They ran directly to Marinette's house. They came into the bakery just in the moment when Prince Charming tried to blow the magical powder into Sabine's face.

"Over my dead body…" Ladybug whispered.

"Watch out." Cat Noir warned her – she was too close to reveal her identity in front of parents and Hawkmoth.

"Hey, Prince!" Ladybug shouted to draw the attention of the super-villain. "You won't miss any woman in the city?"

"Get away from my wife!" Tom growled threateningly.

"Oh, no…" Ladybug sighed.

"I wouldn't hurt parents of my sweet beloved princess!" Prince Charming exclaimed.

"Adrien…?" Marinette's mother asked quietly, and the superheroes almost burst out laughing.

"No Adrien!" Prince Charming shouted irritably. "That gallant will pay for stealing my girlfriend! As soon as I get him… Where are they hiding?!"

Ladybug said "Victor" soundlessly to Cat Noir, pointing the sunglasses stuck in Prince Charming's head.

"They should be at school now." Sabine replied calmly.

"They left. They escaped!" Prince Charming drawled. "Where are you hiding them?!"

"Lucky charm!" Ladybug didn't want to wait any minute. Soon she was holding… a bucket? She looked at Cat Noir with a question in her eyes. And – as always – she thought quickly about possibilities. She needed water. But first they had to stall. She threw the bucket to Cat Noir.

"You don't understand anything!" Prince Charming shouted to her. "You don't know what broken heart means! That Adrien stole my girlfriend!"

"Adrien has a girlfriend?" Ladybug asked quietly.

" _My_ girlfriend!" Prince Charming exclaimed and then added with satisfaction, seeing her shocked face: "Huh! It hurts, doesn't it? But maybe… I can heal your broken heart, Ladybug…" saying this he reached for his magical powder to charm her.

"Get in line, you jerk…" Cat Noir muttered, throwing back a bucket – filled with water – to Ladybug. She caught it with a firm catch and poured out on Prince Charming just in a moment he started blowing the powder on her. The super-villain closed his eyes and slipped on the wet floor.

"Now, Cat!" Ladybug commended.

Cat Noir took advantage of the fact that Prince Charming didn't pay attention, and he took the sunglasses off the super-villain's head and threw them to Ladybug. She broke them to release the akuma and then she quickly caught it with her yo-yo. A moment later she let a white butterfly go.

"Bye, bye little butterfly." She whispered, as always. And then she threw up the bucket with a spell "Miraculous Ladybug!"

"Pound it!" the superheroes fist-pumped and then looked at Prince Charming who was detransforming into Victor. Everything returned to normal.

"What am I doing here?" Victor asked surprised.

"You have to find a new girl." Ladybug advised.

"There's plenty more fish in the sea, man." Cat Noir added, and Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Although after due consideration I must say that there's no one like you, Bugaboo…" he winked at her.

"You and due consideration, Kitty?" Ladybug laughed. "It's like a fantasy or science fiction!"

"Oh, Ladybug, you hurt my feelings!" Cat Noir grasped his heart.

"You'd better go, Kitty, before you turn into a troll." She said over her shoulder and left the bakery.

"What a wonderful girl!" Victor sighed.

"Come on, man! Find a girl who's single." Cat Noir murmured irritably. Then he turned to Marinette's parents, bowed gallantly and said: "My respects. Thank you for cooperation."

And he left.

Somewhere in Paris, hidden in his liar – Hawkmoth became deeply thoughtful.


	26. Happily ever after?

" **Happily ever after?"**

They detransformed into Adrien and Marinette just after coming back to the locker room. This time they had been lucky – they were the target of the super-villain, so disappearing together was justified, or even obvious to everyone. Even Alya told them to hide.

They hid in the last row of lockers. They both gave their kwamis something to eat.

"I must admit that I'm more and more concerned about the progress you've been making in lying…" Adrien said with a little reproach.

"In lying?" Marinette repeated in surprise.

"I barely caught up when you started bluffing in the classroom. You were so convincing that I started to worry about it a little…"

"Are you afraid that I'll fall into the habit of lying?" Marinette smiled.

"Well… How will I know when you're honest?"

"You will know, I'm sure." She replied firmly. "You know me too well. And besides, I don't expect that I would lie so much in the future…"

"By the way, you were great today." He admitted, pulling her closer. Finally, they were alone. They could kiss without a crowd gazing on them.

"Hey, are you there?" they heard suddenly Alya's voice.

Adrien sighed and let Marinette out of his embrace. This school started to get on his nerves. Marinette giggled in response to his facial expression.

"Yeah, we're here…" he muttered.

They came out from the lockers, holding hands.

"Thank God, he didn't find you!" Alya said. "It's over, you can come back."

"How do you know?" Marinette asked.

"Oh, Ladybug must have used her spell _'Miraculous Ladybug'_ because Chloe has returned to normal. If being herself can be called being normal…" Alya explained. "Poor Chloe… She's watching the film with herself as a lead female role. You missed it, but she was hanging on Prince Charming and begging for a kiss."

"I've never thought I'd ever feel sorry for her…" Marinette whispered to Adrien and he laughed loudly.

"Come on. You'll see for yourselves." Alya said and headed back to the classroom. They followed her, rather reluctantly.

"It's not such a bad idea that Victor would start picking up Chloe." Adrien whispered in Marinette's ear quietly, so that Alya couldn't hear that. After all, no one knew who the victim of the akuma was.

Marinette giggled.

"It's not funny." Adrien muttered. "Now he fell in love with Ladybug!"

"Seriously?" Marinette was surprised.

"After you left he said that you are wonderful."

"Because I am…" she grinned at him.

"I know. But I'd prefer the rest of the world wouldn't be so interested in you."

"Are you jealous?" she teased him.

"More and more every day." He admitted. "Victor was lucky today that I didn't have my sword. I would split him in two halves. How did he dare to call you his princess?! Only I can call you _My Princess_!"

"Shhh…" Marinette put a finger to his lips and looked around carefully to check if anyone had heard Adrien's words.

Adrien took her hand and pulled her closer. He kissed her ignoring Alya or anyone who could watch them at that moment. Including the teacher…

The end.


End file.
